Geelani’s son Naeem Zaffar denied entry into Tehreek-e-Hurriyat

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 9

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani’s attempt to keep the separatist leadership within his family has suffered a setback as his eldest son’s attempt to seek the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) membership has been rejected.

Naeem Zaffar, Geelani’s eldest son, who is emerging as the successor to his father, had applied for the membership of the TeH — Geelani’s parent organisation and a constituent party of his Hurriyat Conference (G) — which was rejected on procedural grounds.

Zaffar’s application was rejected by Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, TeH general secretary and Geelani’s long-time close aide.

For becoming a member of the TeH, a person needs to be a “pious Muslim and a pro-freedom activist”, Sehrai said. And, to seek the membership, a person has to follow a procedure which includes the approval of the tehsil president of the TeH followed by the approval of its district president, general secretary and then finally by Geelani, he added.

However, Zaffar had sent his application without the approval reports of the tehsil and district presidents.

“There was no report from the tehsil and district presidents. I was under house arrest and to interview him (Zaffar), which is part of the procedure for seeking the membership, was not possible,” said Sehrai.

Zaffar had sent the membership form through Shah Wali, at present the in charge Baramulla president of the party, in place of Amir Hamza, who was detained under the Public Safety Act in February this year.

Sources close to Sehrai say that he has become increasingly sceptical of the functioning of the separatist group in which members of Geelani’s family are having a greater role. Sehrai, the sources said, had been largely isolated from the party’s decision-making, which was being heavily influenced by Geelani’s family.

Zaffar, a doctor by profession, returned from Pakistan in 2010. Hurriyat insiders say he has been aiming to replace his father as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference (G).

In 2014, a controversy had erupted after reports surfaced that Geelani had named Zaffar as his heir.

A senior party leader had then said that Geelani’s son could not become the successor as he had not been a member of any constituent group of the Hurriyat Conference (G). Zaffar’s attempt to seek TeH membership is seen as an attempt to clear his path for becoming the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference (G).

Zaffar confirmed that he had applied for the membership, adding that it was pending before the TeH.

Geelani was re-elected as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference (G) for the fourth consecutive three-year term on October 26, 2013. He is also the chairman of the TeH and represents it in the Hurriyat Conference (G).