Three days after the Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 CRPF personnel were killed by a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday issued orders to withdraw security of five separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
 
Besides the Mirwaiz, the security cover for Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah has been withdrawn, an order issued by the administration headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik said.
 
However, there is no mention of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani in the order.
 
According to the order, all security and vehicles provided to the separatists will stand withdrawn by Sunday evening.
 
No security forces or cover will be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists. If they have any other facilities provided by the government, they are to be withdrawn forthwith.
 
The Police Headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir will review if there are any other separatists who have security or facilities which will be withdrawn immediately, the officials said.
 
A top official had on Saturday said that security of Kashmiri separatists having suspected links with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI would be withdrawn after an assessment by the Jammu and Kashmir administration,
 
The security review of all such individuals with suspected links with the ISI will be carried out following a suggestion given by the central government, he said.
 
The Home Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir government will carry out the review of the security of separatists and will take a decision on withdrawal, a security official said.
 
The state government will do the security review of the separatists as most of them have security being provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, he said.
 
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit to Srinagar on Friday, had said security given to people getting funds from Pakistan and its snooping agency ISI should be reviewed.
 
“Some elements in Jammu and Kashmir have links with the ISI and terrorist organisations. Their security should be reviewed,” he had said after reviewing security in the aftermath of dastardly terror attack in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
 
Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near their bus in Pulwama district.
 
The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar.
This withdrawal of security cover for pro Indian democratic organsiations will diffuse the crisis or aggravate  the situation  will be seen in the days to come says political analysts