| Scared of militants, Mirwaiz a victim of violence' | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 13: Everybody in Kashmir knows the killers of Mirwaiz's family members but the fear of militants keeps them including the Hurriyat leaders mum. This was the message scribes got during a presser at Hurriyat headquarters Wednesday.
After a crucial meeting, former Hurriyat (M) chairman, Professor Abdul Gani Bhat while talking to the media said Mirwaiz has himself been a victim of violence.
He said that Mirwaiz's uncle was killed in June 2004 and his house was Bombed and Islamia School burnt.
When asked to reveal the identity of the killers, Bhat evaded the question, "I don't want to reply. Please don't ask me such questions."
Abdul Gani Bhat has earlier said that: "Gani Lone sahib, Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, and Professor Wani were not killed by the Army or the police. The story is a long one, but we have to tell the truth."
Mirwaiz's father was killed by a militant commander Abdullah Bangroo in 1990. But after Bangroo was killed, he was also buried in the same graveyard, where Mirwaiz Farooq is buried.
"Mirwaiz has been a victim of violence and no victim can in any case accept money for such a heinous act," Bhat said. "Yet he did not give up and continued talking to Manmohan Singh. This speaks volumes about his commitment to a peaceful resolution. To accuse him of funding terror is ridiculous, nothing but political vendetta," he said, apparently referring how militants threatened him but did not mention the name.
"We were the ones who led the dialogue in 2004 and 2005 despite tremendous backlash and sacrifice," he said, referring to militant warnings boycotting the dialogue.
The NIA had summoned Mirwaiz, and Naseem Geelani, younger son of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, for questioning in a 2017 terror financing case on last Monday. Mirwaiz however did not appear and instead submitted a written reply saying it was not possible to travel to New Delhi citing security reasons. The NIA had on February 26 carried out searches at the premises of Hurriyat leaders, including the Mirwaiz.
"We have to live together and live peacefully to ensure prosperity and development. What constitutes an obstacle will have to be addressed," Bhat said. |
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