Srinagar: Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was on Monday issued a fresh passport, an official said here.
"The Mirwaiz had applied for the passport and we received the (security) verification. The passport has been issued and he will receive it in a few days," regional passport officer GM Dar said.
The officer was replying to queries after inaugurating a Passport Collection Centre at Khanyar for the convenience of residents of Old City.
Official sources said that the Hurriyat chairman is issued a passport with one-year validity and he has to get it renewed every year.
Dar said his office was issuing 200 passports every day to residents of Kashmir Valley.
Asked about complaints from residents alleging denial of travel documents, he said, "Passports cannot be issued without clearance from police and security agencies.
"If there is a criminal case against anyone, he has to pay a fine and passport can be issued. Only adverse cases which involve terrorism are not issued passports," he said.
A group `Campaign for Right to Travel` has claimed that scores of people have been blacklisted from receiving travel document on the basis of intelligence reports that they could pose a security risk if they to travel outside the country.
Among those who have been denied passports include many separatists and relatives of militants.
PTI
