The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conveyed to Delhi High Court that Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik maintained contact with top Pakistani leadership, including the Prime Minister and President, and used these links to promote the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India.
In an affidavit filed before the court, the agency stated that Malik was in touch with senior figures in Pakistan, including political leaders and officials, and leveraged these connections to propagate narratives against India and further a separatist agenda in the region.On Malik’s arguments about several Indian Prime Ministers engaging him to resolve the Kashmir, the NIA said that the same do not have any bearing on the terror case against Malik and do not absolve him of his crimes.
“It is manifest that the accused, Yasin Malik, was in contact with the top leadership of Pakistan, including the Prime Minister, the President, senators of the Pakistani Senate, and the Chief Ministers of all provinces, and was using such contacts to propagate narratives against India and to further the secessionist agenda in Jammu & Kashmir,” the NIA said in its affidavit filed before the High Court.As per the affidavit, Malik's claims about proximity to senior Indian politicians, foreign delegates, bureaucrats and media persons is for gaining popularity and drawing sympathy from the public.
“It is humbly submitted that the convict himself has admitted that he was the Commander-in-Chief of JKLF [Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front]. Rest of the matters related to taking names of Senior Politicians, Media personnel, foreign delegates and Bureaucrats is only with a view of gaining popularity and to draw sympathy of the public and has no bearing to the merit of the instant case,” the NIA affidavit said.
Malik had earlier told the High Court that after his arrest in 1990, he was actively engaged by six consecutive governments headed by VP Singh to Manmohan Singh, to speak about the Kashmir cause and resolve the issue. The NIA has now said that mere mention of the names of government officials does not absolve Malik of the crimes for which he has been charged and convicted.
The case was listed for hearing today before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja. However, Malik stated that he had not received NIA’s rejoinder. The Court adjourned the matter to July for arguments on enhancement of the sentence. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akshai Malik with advocate Khawar Saleem appeared for the NIA.Yasin Malik is arguing his case in person.
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