Conflict

Valley traders protest against NIA summon to KTMF chief 

‘Will continue our protest until NIA releases Mohammad Yaseen Khan’

Srinagar: The Valley traders on Monday staged sit-in to protest against the summoning of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturing Federation (KTMF) president, Muhammad Yaseen Khan by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to its headquarter in New Delhi.

Scores of KTMF and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) leaders assembled at Srinagar’s Pratap Park on Monday and held sit-in there.

The protesting traders also chanted slogans against the NIA. The traders termed the summoning of Khan by NIA as ‘an attack on valley traders’.

“We will continue to protest against the NIA until Khan is released,” they said, adding that a shutdown was today called to express solidarity with KTMF president.

“Issuing summons to business leaders is nothing but an agenda of Centre to crush our fragile economy. For past over three years we have been constantly apprehending that attempts were being made to crush Kashmir economy,” Imtiyaz Ahmad, a KTMF leader said, adding that “the NIA summon has only vindicated our worst fears that this probe is aimed at crushing Kashmir’s economy through arm twisting tactics,” he said.

“If a trader has to spend his time in undue travelling to Delhi for inquiries, when will he do business? This is condemnable,” he said.

Pertinently, NIA on Friday issued summon to Khan, asking him to present himself at NIA headquarter in Delhi on Sep 25.

The KTMF later held a series of meeting over the summoning of Khan by NIA, following which they called for a complete shutdown, which was supported by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

A complete shutdown was observed today in the Valley to protest against the NIA summon to Khan while the authorities imposed restrictions in Srinagar parts to thwart any possible protest against the summoning of trade leader.

(With inputs from KNS)

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