Srinagar, Sept 21: The breakaway faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani suffered a major set back when Jamaat declared that it would work towards forging unity among constituents of the amalgam. Jamaat's Majlis-e-Shoura (advisory council) met here last evening and set up a three-member committee under its political bureau chief Mohammad Ashraf Sahari to hold talks with other groups regarding the unity in Hurriyat, Jamaat sources said today.

The Jamaat's decision came at a time when Geelani was expecting support for his faction from the parent organisation and is seen as a rebuff for his hasty decision to accept chairmanship of the breakaway faction. Sources said Geelani on his own had agreed to wait and allow Jamaat to take a decision on his assumption of office of chairman of breakaway group.

"We had requested him (Geelani) to take up the issue to Majlis Shoura and then take a decision accordingly on the issue. However, Geelani did not wait and became the chairman without taking Jamaat into confidence ," Jamaat sources added.


Bureau Report