Centre undecided on Malik

JKLF chiefs passport will expire next month

The Union Home Ministry is struggling to take punitive action against Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik for sharing a stage with 26/11 terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed at a public gathering in Pakistan to protest Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging.

The ministry on Monday held meeting with security establishment including intelligence agencies to find ways in which action can be taken against the separatist leader but a section within the government is of the view that it would be difficult to hold him accountable as per law. 

Even if the UPA decides to book him for sedition, the matter will remain stuck because the place of occurrence of offence is in Pakistan and it is unlikely that Islamabad will share any information on Malik hobnobbing with country’s most wanted terrorist – their reluctance to take action against Saeed was also demonstrated in 26/11 Mumbai terror strike as well. The government has not taken any action against Hurriyat Conference leaders for meeting with terrorist leaders in Pakistan in the recent past.

 “We are conducting a thorough enquiry. When the report will come, we will take appropriate action against him (Malik),” Minister of State for Home RPN Singh told reporters.

Malik like other separatist leaders are given passport for a year. His passport will expire next month.

He has been visiting Pakistan often to meet his Islamabad-based wife Mushal.  And he met Saeed many a times in the past, claim Jammu and Kashmir police sources. On January 26, he went to Pakistan and is likely to return only after the heat settles down here.

Prior to that, he had crossed over the border on March 24 and stayed there for 22 days, the state police officer added.

An officer in the ministry handling passport said that when the passport is given to anyone including separatist leaders, no restrictions can be imposed.

But, in sensitive cases, the travel history is taken into consideration before deciding on renewing it Ministry officials said that Malik will be questioned to find out what he did in Pakistan, especially to decipher what transpired in his meeting with Saeed also wanted by the United States.

Only if the interrogators are able to extract information from the JKLF leader’s questioning which is detrimental to law, the police can initiate a case against him.