PDP said all allegations levelled against its leader Waheed ur Rehman Para were false and were done on behest of the BJP to browbeat the party leadership

After the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in 2016, the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave a huge amount of money to separatists to keep the pot of violence boiling in the Kashmir valley. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its chargesheet filed against senior PDP leader Waheed ur Rehman Para at a special NIA court in Jammu has made startling revelations against PDP and its leaders.

“Accused Waheed ur Rehman Para gave Rs 5 crore to Altaf Ahmad Shah alias Altaf Fantoosh, separatist leader… to keep the situation boiling in the Kashmir valley after the killing of HM terrorist Burhan Wani. This amount was given by accused Waheed ur Rehman Para on behalf of political party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Hurriyat Conference for keeping the secessionist activities alive,” says the NIA chargesheet.

It states that Altaf Ahmed Shah was close associate of accused Waheed ur Rahman Para and was in continuous touch with him during the turmoil in the Kashmir valley after the killing of Burhan Wani.

According to the chargesheet, Para misused his position and the government machinery and involved himself in smuggling of AK47 Rifles and ammunition by using his official vehicle and further provided the same to active terrorist of South Kashmir.

As per the chargesheet, Para was arrested by NIA on November 25, 2020 for his role of extending support to the active terrorists of HM and LeT in Kashmir valley.

“Investigation revealed that accused Waheed ur Rehman Para entered in to a criminal conspiracy along with accused Irfan Shafi Mir, Devender Singh and Syed Naveed Mushtaq for raising of funds for banned terrorist organisation HM for procurement of arms and ammunition for terrorists active in Kashmir valley to sustain the on-going terrorist activities in the Union Territory of J&K,” the chargesheet reads.

It states that Para was a part of the larger conspiracy hatched by Pakistan based leadership of banned terrorist outfit HM to make inroads into important institutions and entities for want of desired support to carry forward the agenda of secession of Jammu and Kashmir from the union of India by way of violent means i.e. terrorist activities.

Pointing towards a nexus between a mainstream politician and a terrorist, the chargesheet states that Para sought help from terror commanders for securing cooperation during the election campaign and assisting their workers in the management of election process.

“These mainstream politicians are seeking this cooperation through payment of money thereby making mockery of electoral process,” the chargesheet reads.

The chargesheet filed by NIA also accused the PDP leader Para of organising a racket of stone pelting in Pulwama district in 2010-12, this was done by Para to gain political mileage.

Para, as per the chargesheet, also gave a huge sum of money to various terror commanders in the valley.

“In the year 2016, Para gave Rs 10 lakh to one Pakistani LeT militant Abu Dujana as financial support. He had provided logistic support to Dujana and another militant Naveed Jat,” it said.

Para as per the chargesheet was associated with other terror supporters, including Irfan Shafi Mir and Devender Singh, for extending support to the terrorists of HM in terms of providing them shelter at safe places in 2019.

Irfan Shafi Mir, an advocate by profession, and Devender Singh, who was working as the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Jammu and Kashmir police, were arrested while transporting terrorist Naveed Babu in their private car in Qazigund last year.

The chargesheet states that Para had several meetings at his house located at Gupkar Road Srinagar, where he provided Rs 10 lakh to Mir for further handing over to another accused Naveed Mustaq for buying of arms and ammunition for HM outfit.

The chargesheet also accused Para of running the “dirty business” of gun running in his official vehicle. “In the year 2016, accused Para was also involved in the dirty business of gun running from Kupwara area to South Kashmir when he used to visit Kupwara area with his escort party and bring weapons in the vehicle as none of the security agencies used to check his vehicle enroute, him being an important political entity,” it read.

When asked to comment on the allegations against Para and the party, senior PDP leader and party spokesman Firdous Tak accused the central government of ‘unleashing the agencies’ to harass the party leaders who did not leave the PDP.

“Our leaders like Naeem Akhtar, Sartaj Madni are still behind bars as they did not leave the party despite being forced to do so. Para was also given the option to leave the party, when he refused to leave the party this case was filed against him”.

Tak said that all the allegations levelled against Para were false and were done on behest of the BJP to browbeat the party leadership.