New Delhi, Feb 17 (UNI) Unleashing a multi-pronged strategy to isolate Pakistan on terror and also to break its 'nexus' with separatist leaders, the government on Sunday withdrew security cover and other facilities provided to five separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Abdul Ghani Bhat.
"All security and any vehicles provided to them will stand withdrawn by today evening," a state government release said.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad backed the move and said - "Jammu and Kashmir is part of India and will remain so. This cannot be practised anymore that you talk about disturbing India and take security from Indian government itself. We welcome this decision of the Jammu and Kashmir government. This step should have been taken earlier".
Besides Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Bhat, the security and facilities provided to three others -- Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah -- were also withdrawn.
The state police headquarters in Srinagar have been directed to "review if there are any other separatists" who have government security or facilities and subsequently all these will be withdrawn immediately.
The 46-year-old Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is the chairman of the Awami Action Committee, one of the two key factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Recently, he was in news for having tele talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Shabir Shah is under Enforcement Directorate and NIA custody and at present lodged in Tihar jail, sources said.
Shabir Shah, 65 is founder and President of J&K Democratic Freedom Party and is often hailed by terror groups and sympathisers across the border in Pakistan as a 'jail bird and Nelson Mandela of Kashmir'.
"No security forces or cover should be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatist," sources said adding if they have any other facilities provided by the government, they are to be withdrawn forthwith.
During his visit to Srinagar on February 15 after the dastardly Pulwama attack, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had indicated that the security given to people 'getting funds' from Pakistan and its ISI could be reviewed.
"There are elements and forces who take money from Pakistan and the ISI. I have asked the officials concerned to review their security," Mr Singh has told reporters at the end of his day-long visit to the state on Friday.
Bilal Lone is brother of Sajjad Lone, a former minister in PDP-BJP coalition government from the BJP quota. Bilal Lone also hit headlines recently when he said he will 'permanently' stay in the "pro-freedom politics as that was the right path".
Hashim Qureshi is accused in 1971 hijack of Indian airlines plane to Pakistan.
Law Minister Mr Prasad further said, "These Hurriyat leaders talk to Pakistan and receive funding from various places. The most painful thing is that they get security from the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir government. India will not allow any such step".
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz expressed his reservation on withdrawal of security to the five top separatist leaders and said the focus should be rather to 'resolve' the problems.
"This move was like a narrow vision of Kashmir. I have also said earlier that the Hurriyat leaders never promoted violence," Mr Soz was quoted as saying by television channels.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina also welcomed the government decision.
"The hurriyat people are the real enemies of the Kashmiris ....If J&K state is facing militancy today it is because of people like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah and Yaseen Malik," he said.
UNI DEVN SHK2002