Jammu and Kashmir govt withdraws security cover of Pak-funded separatists

Three days after the terror attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama district that claimed the lives 40 security personnel, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday decided to withdraw the security cover of some separatist leaders. It also asked police to review and withdraw the security enjoyed by “other separatists”.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier said  that the security provided to those who “receive money from Pakistan would be reviewed.”

“The government is issuing orders withdrawing all security and any government facilities provided to the separatist leaders — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah,” said a press release issued by the J&K Directorate of Information and Public Relations.

“All security and any vehicles provided to them will stand withdrawn by today evening. No security forces or cover should be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists,” it said.

The security cover of separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi, Fazal Haq Qureshi and Shabir Shah was withdrawn.

“The hurriyat people are the real enemies of the Kashmiris and they are the ones who ruined the valley. Their security has been withdrawn is a welcome step and I would like them to be arrest and lodged in Tihar and Jodhpur jails (in Delhi and Rajasthan, respectively),” state Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina as he welcomed the decision.

“If Kashmir is facing terrorism today it is because of (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani, Mirwaiz (Umar farooq), Shabir Shah and Yaseen Malik. Their own children are studying in London and enjoying in Europe and they have properties in Dubai but are instigating Kashmiri children to pelt stones and orchestrating innocent killings,” he said.