Authorities today foiled a meeting and joint press conference of separatist leaders on National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids in connection with terror funding in the Kashmir by detaining Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik and putting restriction on chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC).
Chairman of moderate Mirwaiz Farooq has again been put under house arrest while there was no relief for Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chief of hardline HC. A spokesman of the JKLF said that Malik was arrested from his Maisuma house near here today. Malik was to attend a joint meeting with Geelani and Mirwaiz at the residence of hardline HC chairman and later address press conference in the afternoon. Mirwaiz was again put under house arrest last night, a spokesman of the amalgam said here this morning.
He said a large number of security forces and state police personnel had been deployed outside the Nigeen house of Mirwaiz who was informed that he cannot leave till further orders since he has been put under house arrest. Meanwhile, Geelani also remained under house arrest for the past one year, a spokesman of hardline HC said. He said there was no change in the situation as security forces remained deployed outside the Hyderpora residence of Geelani. Additional security forces had been deployed on the road leading to amalgam chairman’s house from Airport road, he said.
Geelani and Mirwaiz were to address a press conference probably on the raids conducted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) at the residence of separatists and a number of businessmen in connection with terror funding in the valley. The houses of moderate HC media advisor Shahidul Islam and spokesman of hardline HC Aiyaz Akbar were also raided by the NIA.
Both the factions of the HC have already criticized the raids and alleged it was only to defame the struggle of the people for right to ‘self-determination.’ They had termed the NIA raids as a policy of “witch-hunt and terrorization” launched by New Delhi to defame and weaken the people’s political struggle and simultaneously cripple the economy of Valley.