SRINAGAR: In occupied Kashmir, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) continuing its intimidating actions has issued fresh summons to the Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to appear for questioning at its headquarters in New Delhi in connection with a false case registered against him.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the NIA in a notice has asked Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to appear before it at its headquarters in New Delhi on March 18, media reports quoting officials of the agency as having said.
The NIA had on February 26 raided the residences of several Hurriyat leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Yasmeen Raja, Zafar Akbar Butt and Dr Naseem Gilani, the son of APHC Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani, in connection with the false cases registered against them.
The NIA had questioned two maternal uncles of the Mirwaiz – Molvi Manzoor and Molvi Shafat – and his close aides last year. Both Molvi Manzoor and Molvi Shafat are retired senior government officers. The Mirwaiz had been asked to appear before the NIA on March 11 but he had expressed his inability to join the investigation in Delhi fearing for his security in view of the recent attacks on Kashmiris in different parts of India.
“Under the prevailing conditions of hostility wherein there is a threat to the personal safety of my client, it becomes unwise for my client to travel to Delhi,” counsel for the Mirwaiz, Aijaz Ahmed Dhar, had said in a letter to the NIA. If the NIA wants to question the Mirwaiz, it can do so in Srinagar and he is willing to cooperate as he has nothing to hide, the letter had said.