Authorities foil resistance leadership’s meeting

Srinagar: Authorities on Monday foiled the proposed meeting called by the joint resistance leadership against the raids conducted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the residences of several Hurriyat leaders and businessmen in Kashmir.

The meeting according to the leaders was scheduled to be held at Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani’s residence in Hyderpora here.

The meeting was called to discuss the future strategy against ‘such situation and its implications on Kashmiris’.

Hurriyat had on Sunday said that the leadership will hold press briefing after the meeting ‘to keep the people updated regarding the discussion and the course of action that will follow’. However, the authorities in the late evening hours placed Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest.

“Mirwaiz has once again been put under arrest since late yesterday evening. Mirwaiz was scheduled to attend the meeting at Geelani’s residence today and later address a joint press conference,” a Hurriyat leader said.

According to our correspondent, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik was detained today morning from his Maisuma residence.

Scores of other leaders were also detained ahead of the meeting, police sources said. The resistance leadership including Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Imtiyaz Hyder, Muhammad Ashraf Laya and others have been detained last evening.

Pertinently, NIA raided 27 residences of members of pro-freedom groups and some businessmen in two days in Kashmir, Haryana and New Delhi.

The NIA claims to have seized Rs 1.15 crore, besides various property documents and other things including pen drives, laptop and others during the raids. The raids were conducted against the alleged funding by Pakistan for creating subversive activities in Kashmir against the state. (KNS)