Jamaat sets pre-condition for Geelani's re-entry

Srinagar, June 26 (UNI) The Jamaat-e-Islami has set a pre-condition for suspended leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to seek re-entry into the organisation, asking him to disband Tehreek-e-Hurriyat by June 30.

The Jamaat-e-Islami had suspended Mr Geelani and his three close associates -- Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Mohammad Abdullah Sheikh and Shah Wali Mohammad -- from its Majlis-e-Shoura (Advisory Council), the highest decision-making body, on June 15 last year for floating Tehreek-e-Hurriyat in August 2004.

They were replaced by Ghulam Rasool Bhat, Ghulam Rasool Shah and Peer Gias-ud-din.

In an extraordinary meeting of its 97-member electoral college here, the Jamaat-e-Islami discussed threadbare the issue of re-entry of Mr Geelani, who is also the breakaway Hurriyat Chairman, and his associates.

The meeting told them to disassociate with the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat by June 30 so that they could seek re-entry into the organisation.

''If Mr Geelani and others fail to do so, they will not be eligible to contest on any post in the organisation,'' a Jamaat-e-Islami statement said here today.

The organisational elections, including to the post of Amir-e- Jamaat, were scheduled to be held in August when the term of incumbent Maulana Nazir Ahmed Kashani ends.

UNI AG VD HS1749