Days after Pulwama suicide-bombing in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed, the Jammu and Kashmir administration Sunday withdrew security cover provided to five separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, reported news agency PTI.
“No security cover will be provided under any pretext to these five leaders and other separatists,” a security official told PTI. The other four are Shabir Shah, Hashim Qureshi, Bilal Lone and Abdul Ghani Bhat.
According to the order, all security and vehicles provided to the separatists will stand withdrawn by Sunday evening. No security forces or cover will be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists. If they have any other facilities provided by the government, they are to be withdrawn forthwith.
The decision comes a day after a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday afternoon. The meeting in the national capital, which was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain, took stock of the security measures adopted to foil any attempts by Pakistan-based terror groups to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press conference in Srinagar on Friday, Singh said the security given to people getting funds from Pakistan and its snooping agency ISI should be reviewed. “Some elements in Jammu and Kashmir have links with the ISI and the terrorist organisation. Their security should be reviewed,” he had said.
Home Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir government carried out the security review of the separatists. Most of them were provided security by the state police. Many Hurriyat leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Gani Bhat, Moulana Abbas Ansari enjoy police protection in Jammu and Kashmir.
After 40 CRPF officials were killed in a suicide car-bomb in Pulwama, separatists blamed the attack on “delay in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute”. “People and leadership of Kashmir regret every killing that happens on its soil. The delay in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute… is wreaking havoc in Kashmir especially,” a statement from separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik read.
“If killing and counter-killings have to stop and if we really want peace in the region, we have to put an end to hostilities… engage and listen to the concerns of all three stakeholders and address them in the spirit of humanity and justice. Resolve the Kashmir dispute for all times,” they added.
