NIA summons KTMF president, KU student in terror funding case

Srinagar, Sep 23: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Association (KTMF) president Mohammad Yaseen Khan and a Kashmir University (KU) student to appear before it on Monday in connection with terror funding case.

   Meanwhile, the Traders and transporters bodies in Kashmir have called for a strike on September 25against the notice to Mr Khan by the NIA.

     Official sources said that Mr Khan and KU research scholar Aala Fazili have been directed to appear before the investigation agency at its headquarter in New Delhi on Monday.

     The NIA has already arrested over a dozen separatist leaders and businessmen in connection with terror funding from Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

   The arrests followed raids conducted by the NIA at the residence of over a dozen separatist leaders, including spokesman of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference (HC), sons of hardline HC chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelan, his son in law and National Front (NF) chief Nayeem Ahmad Khan, who allegedly admitted during a sting operation that separatists were receiving money from abroad for terror and stone pelting activities. Khan, was later expelled from the hardline HC.

   The NIA also questioned Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) president Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoum who alter later given a clean chit. However, lawyers suspended work in courts against summoning Advocate Qayoum  by NIA.

   Two youths, including a photo-journalist were also arrested in connection with funding stone pelting in south Kashmir, evoking massive protests from media organizations here.

   Addressing a joint press conference here today, KTMF, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and transporters called for complete shutdown to protest against the NIA notice to Khan on Monday, when he was asked to appear before the NIA as a witness in New Delhi.

    They said the NIA could have recorded the statement of Mr Khan in Srinagar instead of summoning him to Delhi. It was nothing but harassment, they alleged.

   Meanwhile, NIA has also summoned Aala Fazli who has been asked to present himself before the investigation agency on Monday at New Delhi.

   Fazili, resident of Humhama in central Kashmir district of Badgam, is persuing PhD in Pharmacy department of the varsity. UNI