Geelani's Passport Suspended for 4-weeks

SRINAGAR: The passport of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been suspended for four-week to prevent him from attending an OIC foreign ministers meeting in New York.

“We received an email from the Passport Office, Srinagar today in which it was stated that Geelani’s passport has been suspended for four weeks,” said Ayaz Akbar, Geelani’s close aide and spokesman of separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference led by him.

Geelani was invited by OIC to attend the annual meeting of foreign minister’s of the Islamic countries and Kashmir Contact Group in New York, beginning September 27.

Akbar said after receiving the invitation, Geelani had applied for US visa from country’s embassy in New Delhi.

“We had completed the formalities and had received a green signal for the visa,” he said adding Geelani was all set to leave for New York this week end to attend OIC meeting.

The hardline separatist leader was issued a short-term passport in July this year to facilitate his visit to Jeddah to meet his ailing daughter. 

However, Geelani had not to travel to Saudi Arabia as his daughter returned to Srinagar to meet his parents.

“Geelani’s passport was valid only till October 31 and by suspending it for four weeks, the travel document has almost become invalid,” Akbar said adding it is a calculated move by government to bar the senior separatist leader from travelling outside India.

He condemned the government action and said voices of political opponents are being choked in the State.

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