Property donated by Geelani to trust belongs to us: Jamaat

In what is seen as a snub to hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Jamaat-e-Islami, a socio-religious political organisation, has said the property donated by the separatist leader to an independent trust is the property of the party.

"The property at Rehmatabad (locality of) Hyderpora currently being used by Geelani for residential and official purposes actually belongs to Jama’at-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir.

 After Geelani, Jama’at will be authorised to take any decision on it," the party said in a statement here.

The statement was issued at the end of a day-long convention of ‘Markazi Majlis Shoora’ (Central Advisory Council) of JEI, chaired by Ameer (chief) Mohammad Abdullah Wani, here yesterday.

"The meeting unanimously reaffirmed the decision previously taken by Jama’at that the said property will remain in life-long possession of Geelani Sahib. Nevertheless, after him, Jama’at will be authorised to take any decision about it," the statement said.

It said the meeting also decided to send a delegation of JEI with a letter of Jamaat chief to Geelani to verify the facts regarding the reports about the donation of the said property to some trust.

On January 18, Geelani announced his decision to donate his residential house and the office of his Hurriyat Conference along with Millat publications situated at Hyderpora to an 8-member trust.

Geelani parted ways with JEI in 2005 after forming ‘Tehreek-e-Hurriyat’.