Kashmiri leader held under Pota

Published June 10, 2002

SRINAGAR, June 9: A leading Kashmiri leader has been detained under a tough new Indian anti-terrorism law over allegations of funding “terrorist oganizations”, police said on Sunday.

Police arrested Syed Ali Shah Geelani in a raid on his house in Srinagar. Geelani has not been charged.

His arrest overnight came as tensions remained high between India and Pakistan. Mr Geelani is a former chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

Police director-general A.K. Suri said Geelani was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over allegations he was “aiding and abetting terrorist activities...(and) funding terrorist organizations in the state”. He has been sent to a jail in Ranchi in the eastern state of Jharkhand.

Three other activists were also detained under the act, passed in March, which gives police broad powers of arrest and allows suspects to be held for 30 days without appearing in court.

Suri said the arrests followed the discovery by police and income tax officials of more than $30,000 in a house.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...