NEW DELHI, July 12: Maulana Abbas Ansari, who heads Ittehadul Muslimeen, was on Saturday elected as chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

Former APHC chairman Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat told a news conference in Srinagar that the executive council of the 23-party alliance had unanimously elected Maulana Ansari as its new chief.

Maulana Ansari replaces Muslim Conference chief Abdul Ghani Bhat who completed two years as Hurriyat head earlier this month.

Jamaat-i-Islami abstained from the meeting, called at the Rajbagh headquarters.

“This appointment will strengthen the bond between Sunnis and Shias,” Mr Bhat said.—Agencies