Moderates take on hardliners over strike call in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 16 (UNI) The war of words between two rival factions of the Hurriyat Conference intensified today with moderates coming down heavily on hardliners for calling a strike in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow in protest against the visit of a three-member amalgam delegation, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to Pakistan.

''Employing pressure tactics and violence to enforce a strike is neither a sign of political wisdom nor a parameter for popularity...

It is not a politically prudent step as well,'' a spokesman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference said in a statement here, referring to the hardline amalgam faction, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Earlier, the Geelani-led faction had said the strike on January 17 would be of utmost importance and have far-reaching consequences in entire Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the day was not far off when those using these tactics would realise that negative politics would not benefit anyone.

The spokesman said the Hurriyat Conference (moderate faction) would never deviate from its stand that all issues should be resolved through dialogue.

UNI