Pulwama attack: Security of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, 4 other separatist leaders withdrawn by J&K administration

Three days after the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed by a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday issued orders to withdraw security of five separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Besides the Mirwaiz, the security cover for Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah has been withdrawn, an order issued by the administration headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik said. 

According to the order, all security and vehicles provided to the separatists will stand withdrawn by Sunday evening.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 If they have any other facilities provided by the government, they are to be withdrawn forthwith.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 Police Headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir will review if there are any other separatists who have security or facilities which will be withdrawn immediately, the officials said.

While there was no categorisation of security for these leaders, the state government in consultation with the Centre had provided them ad hoc security, keeping in mind the threat to their lives from some militant groups.

Militants of Hizbul Mujahideen had killed Umar's father, Mirwaiz Farooq, in 1990 and Abdul Gani Lone in 2002.

No security was provided to pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and JKLF chief Yaseen Malik.

Security review after Rajnath's Srinagar visit

A top official had on Saturday said that security of Kashmiri separatists having suspected links with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI would be withdrawn after an assessment by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. The security review of all such individuals with suspected links with the ISI will be carried out following a suggestion given by the central government, he said.

The state government will do the security review of the separatists as most of them have security being provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, he said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit to Srinagar on Friday, had said 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 terrorist organisations. Their security should be reviewed," he had said after reviewing security in the aftermath of dastardly terror attack in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near their bus in Pulwama district.

The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar. 

'No bearing on the Kashmir dispute or the situation on ground'

Hurriyat spokesman termed the government order a propaganda and said it has no bearing on the Kashmir dispute or the situation on ground and it can in no way change the reality.

"With or without these police personnel at the Hurriyat residence, everything remains the same," the spokesman said in a statement, adding, the whenever an issue was made, the Mirwaiz announced from the pulpit of the Jamia Masjid that the government can withdraw the security cover.

The Mirwaiz is one of the religious heads in Kashmir valley.

The spokesman said the Hurriyat leaders had never asked for security "In fact, it was the government that insisted on keeping the personnel based on what they said was their assessment of threat perception. It was the government's decision at that time, today it's their decision to remove it. It's not an issue for us," the statement said. 

(With PTI inputs)