New Delhi, Jan 08: Stung by their anti-India activities and secessionist statements abroad, the Centre has decided to get tough with Kashmiri separatist leaders with regard to their foreign travel and it may even impound their passports. Highly-placed sources said here today that the government has decided to reverse its policy of being liberal in enabling the separatist elements to travel abroad and participate in conferences and other meetings. Several of them undertake foreign trips on ostensible medical grounds and use the opportunity to carryout vicious anti-India campaigns, the sources said.
A dossier submitted to the home ministry names Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Yaseen Malik and Sheikh Abdul Aziz among the separatist leaders against whom action has been proposed by way of either impounding their passport or refusal of permission to travel abroad.
Citing the case of former Hurriyat chairman Umer, the document accuses him of holding meetings with expatriate pro-Pakistani Kashmiri groups, ISI operatives and other anti-India elements and espousing the right of "self-determination" of Kashmiris.
It said that the Mirwaiz had tried to influence the general secretary of organisation of Islamic countries (OIC) in New York to take "economic sanctions" against India for its "illegal occupation" of Kashmir. Bureau Report