Dropped Haj pilgrim approaches J

Srinagar, Dec 7 (UNI) A Haj pilgrim, who along with his wife had been stopped by the Jammu and Kashmir government from proceeding on pilgrimage this year following ''adverse reports'' by the security agencies, has filed a petition in the high court.

In his petition, Sheikh Mohammad Yousuf, a resident of Sopore in Baramulla district, said he had been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) not under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) as claimed by the security agencies.

Yousuf said the Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, did not give him and his wife Hanifa (both in the late 70s) the necessary travel documents to proceed on the Haj pilgrimage.

The hearing of the case has been fixed for tomorrow.

The couple was scheduled to travel on a special flight from here to Jeddah on Sunday, but a day before the security agencies told Yousuf and his wife that they would not be allowed to perform the Haj this year as their verification report was ''adverse''.

According to a family member, Yousuf is a former activist of the Jama'at-e-Islami and had stayed in Pakistan too. He went to Pakistan via the Wagah border on a valid passport in early nineties and stayed there for more than three years. On his return to Kashmir, he was arrested.

However, a court later released him after two years of detention as nothing was proved against him, the family member said.

''If breakaway Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other separatist leaders could be allowed to perform Haj, why cannot a former Jama'at-e-Islamia activist? How can a 75-year-old person be a threat to the Indian State?'' he asked.

UNI AG LS DS1402