New Delhi: The investigation in Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that funds from Pakistan were used by separatists’ leaders to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley and organise violent agitations and anti-India activities, which resulted in large scale violence, leading to numerous injuries and deaths of civilians and security forces.

The revelation was made by the NIA after detailed interrogation and tracking the fund transfer which was used to wage war against the country.  It was in 2017, NIA had registered a case against terrorists belonging to Jammat-ud-Dawah, Duktaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and other separatist leaders in the State of J&K for terror funding. 

NIA investigation exposes the network of raising and collecting funds for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir and entering into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in Kashmir valley.

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Among some popular faces, the National Investigation Agency has arrested Yasin Malik, leader of proscribed organisation JKLF, Asiya Andrabi leader of proscribed organisation Duktaran-e-Milat, Separatist leader Shabir Shah of JKDFP and Masrat Alam of Muslim League.

During interrogation, Malik revealed that he was instrumental in bringing together the disparate factions of Hurriyat Conference and formed the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which spearheaded the violent agitations in 2016 in Kashmir Valley by issuing “Protest Calendars” leading to economic shut down for over four months and also caused death and injuries to civilians and security forces during the violent protests.

According to NIA officials, Malik admitted that the JRL and Hurriyat Conference Gilani Group collected funds from the business community as well as certain other sources and ensured that economic shutdown and violent protests continue to disrupt the daily life of common citizens in the valley.

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Another accused in the case Asiya Andrabi told NIA during interrogation that she had been collecting funds and donations from foreign sources and Duktaran-e-Milat had been organising protests by Muslim women in the valley. Asiya Andrabi was confronted with evidence regarding the funding of educational expenses of her son in Malaysia from 2011 onwards through foreign remittances made by Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali. 

NIA has already approached the concerned authorities for providing evidence relating to certain bank accounts used by Mohammad bin Qasim (son of Asiya Andrabi) while he was studying in the University. 

Masarat Alam, the so-called poster boy of stone pelters and violent agitations in Kashmir valley, during his custodial interrogation, revealed that Pakistan based agents route the funds through hawala operators which were transferred to the separatist leaders including Syed Shah Gilani Chairman APHC(G).  Masarat Alam also revealed that there are rifts in the Hurriyat conference regarding collection and use of funds. 

Investigation revealed that Zahoor Ahamad Shah Watali is one of the main hawala conduits who used to generate and receive funds from Pakistan, ISI, UAE and had floated various shell companies to disguise foreign remittances for further transfer to separatist leaders and stone pelters in the valley.

“These funds were used to fuel unrest in the Kashmir valley and organise violent agitations and anti-India activities which resulted in large scale violence leading to numerous injuries and deaths of civilians and security forces,” said a senior official.

During the investigation, searches were conducted at various locations across the States of J&K, Delhi and Haryana and crucial electronic and documentary evidence were recovered which point towards the pattern of raising, collection, transfer and use of funds for terrorist and separatist activities. 

Significant evidence relating to funding of these separatist elements through Pakistan and UAE based businessman, ISI, High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi has been collected and presented to the NIA Special Court in the chargesheets. 

So far, NIA has charge sheeted 13 accused including Hafiz Mohammad Saeed (leader of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah), Syed Salahuddin (head of proscribed organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen), seven separatist leaders, two hawala conduits and some stone pelters.