Srinagar, Apr 21: Police Wednesday foiled a seminar here reportedly to be tele-addressed by the Jamaat-u-Dawah chief Hafiz Muhammad Syed, Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and the United Jihad Council Chairman Syed Salahuddin.
Police arrested Ahsan Untoo who runs a human rights group- International Forum for Justice- from a local hotel here which was to be the venue for the seminar titled “The role of pro-freedom leaders vis-a vis Kashmir issue.”
Besides Untoo, four separatist leaders including Javid Mir, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad and Haji Farooq Ahmad Wani were also arrested while heading towards the venue. This was the first time that the Pakistan-based top militant commanders were to address any conference in Kashmir telephonically.
Untoo had also invited local separatist leaders to the seminar. The invitees were Chairmen of the parallel factions of Hurriyat Conferences, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, President High Court Bar Association Mian Abdul Qayoom and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya 
Andrabi.
Besides, PaK-based Hurriyat leaders were likely to tele-address the seminar. Others who were also expected to tele-address were: PaK Prime Minister Farooq Hyder, Speaker of PaK Assembly Shah Ghulam Qadir, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Munwar Hussain, Chief Editor Nawai Waqt Majeed Nizami and former ISI chief General Hamid Gul.
Untoo was released last year after five years in jail. He was arrested in February 2005 in Delhi.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Me’raj Kakroo, said the organizers had not sought permission for conducting the seminar.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Javaid Riyaz Bedar said Untoo was arrested as there were apprehensions that his act would result in breach of peace and might incite trouble. “He poses to be a human rights activist (but) had spread the news that he would play the tapes of Salahuddin and others in the seminar. Police is investigating the case,” the SSP said.
In a statement issued later in the day, the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Forum condemned the police action. “We regret to inform you that Indian Government sabotaged the seminar by arresting the organizer, his colleagues and the participants. India is thus main hurdle to peace in the sub-continent,” the statement said.
The statement added that many personalities from civil society and human rights activists from different Indian states were set to participate in the seminar.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST