Srinagar, Apr 13: At a meeting of religious and pro-freedom organizations called to formulate the strategy to expose the killers of Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, Jamiat-e-Alhi-Hadees (JAH) Wednesday sought the intervention of United Jehad Council on the issue.
"They should use all their resources to find who the killers are," said the acting chairman, JAH, Ghulam Rasool Malik.
“I want to clear one thing. The government gun is controlled by the government. And then there are different Jehadi outfits. Jehad is no longer Jehad (in Kashmir)," he said.
Shah was killed past Friday in an IED blast outside a mosque in Maisuma locality of Srinagar.
Addressing the meeting, spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Ayaz Akbar, said: “The winds that have started coming from Pakistan will prove dangerous. It has to be stopped. We are declaring Muslims as infidels instead of persuading people from other communities to embrace Islam. Groups like Sipah-e-Sahaba are a big challenge to the Ummah. There is Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who are they?" he asked.
Without blaming anybody, Akbar said people in Kashmir are being divided. “This is my view. We have even divided our mosques,” said Akbar, who was representing Syed Ali Geelani who couldn’t attend the meeting as he was put under house arrest.
 Chairman JKLF and close friend of Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik asked: “Was he killed for seeking permission from Government for the University? Was he killed for providing the party platform for the movement or was his fault that he disciplined the Jamiat Alhi Hadees.”
 “If a public stand is not taken against these killing, it would be the turn of other separatist leaders. In past, we would be silent in the interest of the movement. But if we have to save our mosques and shrines, we have to take a public stand,” he said. Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said, “We have to keep an eye on all issues on both sides of the border. The issue is very complicated. We can’t rule out anything.”
 JKLF (R) leader Javeed Ahmad Mir stressed for investigating the case fully. “We should also maintain that people should get united. Only then killings of such nature will end.”
 Another Hurriyat (M) leader Abass Ansari said, “We are afraid to say the truth. Otherwise, we all know who the killer is.”
 However, National Front Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan responded: “If somebody knows who the killers are, they should come forward. Sheikh Aziz was killed in front of 10 lakh people and then the Government tried to blame Shabir Shah for it. Kashmir is the hub of agencies. We can’t remain silent but there is a need for courage.”
 Jamat-e-Islami Chief Sheikh Ghulam Hassan supported the argument. “Some important personalities here are giving an impression that everybody knows the killer. If they know the killer, they should expose them without any fear.”
 Noted lawyer Zafar Shah said the killers wanted to “send a message and it needs to be understood. The killer also knew that the killed is innocent. But still he killed him. Perhaps, he wanted to send a message.”
 Later a declaration issued by JAH said, “All party Meeting decided to constitute a committee to probe the killing of Shah. There was unanimity among the participants that the assassins should be exposed and motive behind the killing should be ascertained.”
 Moulana, the declaration said, was an asset to the state and as a president of Jamiat he was deeply involved in promoting religious and social values and his assassination is a great loss not only to Jamiat but to people of the state.
 It said the conference decided that heads of all religious, political, social and other organizations would offer Friday prayers at central Jamiat mosque at Gaw Kadal here following which 1-hour peaceful protest would be held there.
 Other leaders who participated in the meeting included Shabir Shah, Agha Syed Hassan, Showkat Ahmad Keing and Jagmohan Singh Raina.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST