‘Until the clarification of all related issues come to fore, the membership will remain suspended’
Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairperson, Syed Ali Geelani, on Saturday suspended National Front – a pro-freedom party – from the Hurriyat Conference amalgam following the “revelations” made by Nayeem Ahmad Khan in a video in which he say “Pakistan funds the resistance leadership in Valley”.
However, Khan, insisted that the video – run as a prime time news by a Delhi based news channel – is “doctored”.
The news channel claimed that its crew members, posing as potential funders, “exposed” Khan, along with two other Hurriyat Conference activists, in a sting operation done in winter.
Creating a furore in Indian news studios, the union government activated its National Investigation Agency (NIA), and launched an investigation in to alleged funding of Geelani led group by Pakistan.
“APHC chairman Syed Ali Geelani has suspended one of its constituent party, National Front, from basic membership of Hurriyat Conference,” the Hurriyat Conference statement said adding, “the suspension will come into force with immediate effect in Srinagar and Hurriyat Conference chapter of Azad Kashmir.”
Nayeem Ahmad Khan, chief of National Front. (FPK Photo)
“People in Jammu & Kashmir are following the movement like they are performing their other religious obligations,” said Geelani while referring to the video clip. “They are attempting to defame our cherished movement.”
However, earlier in the day, Geelani had called meeting of decision making body of Hurriyat Conference but the J&K government did not allow it to take place. “J&K Police had put restrictions around Hurriyat Conference headquarters at Hyderpora and no one was allowed to move inside to hold the meet,” a Hurriyat Conference activist said. “Nayeem Khan managed to reach the main gate of the headquarter where Geelani lives but he was instantly stopped by cops and CRPF personnel and was forced to return without meeting Geelani.”
However, Khan, called a press conference here and claimed: “the video produced by the news chanell is fake and doctored”.
“The video that Indian media is tirelessly running for last four days is nothing but picks and pieces. Check the voice; movement of mouth (lips). At one time, I am wearing a jacket in the video, at the other I have a waist coat on; at one time I am wearing summer clothing and at the other I have winter clothes on. And about 3 years old video has been mixed and my wife included in that. It has been presented out of the context. The Indian media is cheating the Indian citizens,” an angry Nayeem said.
Hurriyat patriarch Geelani further said in the statement, “though Nayeem Ahmad Khan in a press conference has raised questions over the veracity of the said clip, in pursuance of special power vested in me as chairman, until the clarification of all related issues come to fore, the membership will remain suspended. It is my moral duty and as a supreme head of the forum I am obliged to fulfill assigned duties.”
“However, it is my duty to aware my nation that Indian media is a biased and not trustworthy. They are working for Indian agencies and as mouthpiece for fanatical forces,” Geelani asserted.
Ridiculing Indian media for its “partial and biased reporting”, the octogenarian Hurriyat Conference chief said, “they are promoting colonial mindset, Indian media is hell bent to bring bad name to leadership and defame ongoing freedom struggle.”
Maintaining that Pakistan is nprimary party to Kashmir use, Khan said, “the statement of Pakistan Foreign Office vindicated my stand that Pakistan is supporting Kashmir movement at diplomatic and political levels. Why won’t it? It is their moral obligation because they are administrating one part of Kashmir.”
“Ours is a people’s movement and is funded by people of Kashmir,” he asserted. “We are proud of our people. We trust our people. They are the ones funding this movement. In 2016, the people – be it from Valley, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Chenab, Jammu or Pir Panjal or people living in Azad Kashmir or expatriate Kashmiris – funded this movement. Why won’t they? The movement is against a cruel country of whose seven lakh forces want nothing but the mass murder of common people here.”
Marouf Gazi contributed to this story.
