Pak High Commission held function for Hurriyat leaders: NIA

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in its latest supplementary chargesheet filed in a terror funding case, said that the Pakistan High Commission here had organised a function and meeting where it invited Hurriyat leaders and gave them instructions on how to use funds in illegal activities.

“These funds are being raised out of illegal benefits drawn from the Line of Control (LoC) trade and the same are routed by the buyers of the imported goods in New Delhi by using Hawala channels and through shell companies to the concerned in Kashmir,” the NIA said in its chargesheet.

“A part of the benefits drawn out of the imports and export of the Kashmiri handloom goods is also becoming part of the funds accumulated by the Hurriyat leaders.”

On October 4, the NIA filed a second supplementary chargesheet in the terror funding case under new Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, as well as the founder and President of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Shah, Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi, All Party Hurriyat Conference General

Secretary Masarat Alam and former legislator Rashid Engineer. The agency charged them of allegedly receiving funds from Pakistan to carry out terrorist activities and stone pelting in 2010 and 2016.

The NIA said that the funds were also being routed from the Middle East by family members and supporters of Kashmiri residents in the form of loans.

It also pointed out that the hoteliers in the Kashmir Valley were receiving foreign remittances in the name of bookings and a part of these amounts were going to the Hurriyat leaders and their cadres.

The chargesheet also mentioned that there were many loan defaulters in Jammu and Kashmir banks. These loans have been raised only for mobilising funds for the Hurriyat leaders and their cadres.

“The Hurriyat leaders hail anti-India acts of killed militantsAas gallants, attend their funerals and deliver hate speeches against government of India and motivate the youth of Kashmir to join militancyAfor the so-called freedom of Kashmir by way of an armed struggle,” the NIA said, adding that funds were being raised from Pakistani supporters in the name of helping the youth injured during the counter-action of the security forces.