Srinagar, Nov 20: The Hurriyat Conference's general council meeting, headed by Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, began this afternoon at the amalgam's headquarters here to discuss Centre's offer for talks but several key members, including JKLF and People's League, decided to stay away. The meeting is being attended by 14 members of the council, including former chairmen Mirwaiz Moulvi Umer Farooq and Abdul Gani Bhat, besides Bilal Gani Lone, Peer Hafizullah Makhdumi, Khaleel Muhammad Khaleel (People's Conference), Fazal Haq Qureshi (political front) and Aga Syed Abdul Hussain (Anjuman-e-Shari-e-Shian), Hurriyat sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which has maintained a neutral stand since the September split in the Hurriyat, and People's League were conspicuous through absence.
Jamaat-e-Islami also abstained from the meeting.

Bureau Report