Pakistan, separatist leaders funding disruptive elements in Kashmir: Government tells Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: Neighbouring nation Pakistan and key separatists leader are funding disruptive elements, the Centre told the Lok Sabha.

Inputs indicate a nexus or collusion of disrupting elements sponsored by neighbouring country and separatists in Kashmir, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday, moments before the Lok Sabha was adjourned.

Key separatist leaders have been in touch with militant leaders based out of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

The terrorists are receiving instructions from the Pakistan-based establishment for “adverse activities in Jammu and Kashmir”, said the ministry. 

In a similar response in 2016, Hansraj Ahir had said that inputs indicate the existence of nexus or collusion of disruptive elements sponsored by the neighbouring country and separatists in Kashmir.

Earlier, hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son and the son of noted businessman Zahoor Ahmed Watali have been listed among the "prosecution witnesses" by the National Investigation Agency in a case related to terror funding in the Kashmir Valley.

The NIA, which filed a charge sheet in the case in January this year, have named Watali's son Yasir Gaffar at serial number 30 and Geelani's son Naim-ul-Zaffar at serial number 37 in the list of prosecution witnesses submitted to a special court.

With PTI inputs