In recent developments regarding comments being attributed to Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a major separatist group in Kashmir, reports have surfaced that the Twitter account through which the vacuous and venomous comments were being propagated under the name of Syed Ali Shah Geelani does not actually belong to the Kashmir Hurriyat leader and could be the dirty work of ISI’s notorious propaganda wing.
Hurriyat asserted this earlier and now, Ruwa Shah, granddaughter of Syed Ali Shah Geelani has also clarified the same. She tweeted “Please don’t create more panic amid this situation. This account is not the official handle of SAS Geelani. #Kashmir @iamhamzaabbasi”
She had also added, “@iamhamzaabbasi @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL Infact, SAS Geelani is not on Twitter at all. All of the official communication happens through the press statements issued by his office.”
@iamhamzaabbasi @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL Infact, SAS Geelani is not on Twitter at all. All of the official communication happens through the press statements issued by his office.
— Ruwa Shah (@ShahRuwa) August 3, 2019
Over the past few days reports of this handle being operated by Pakistan based handlers have also surfaced, senior journalist Aditya Raj Kaul in a tweet had indicated towards the same. He had tweeted that Pakistan’s notorious DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor might be behind the inflammatory and misleading tweets. He tweeted “Confirmed. This account is managed by DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor from Rawalpindi. Even Hurriyat says they don’t run this twitter account. Pakistan’s lie factory getting exposed daily.”
Confirmed. This account is managed by DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor from Rawalpindi. Even Hurriyat says they don’t run this twitter account. Pakistan’s lie factory getting exposed daily. https://t.co/X3AJNDOM44
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 4, 2019
Several tweets from the said account which was attributed to the separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani were being pushed. These tweets are ripe with anti-India sentiment and rumour mongering targeted at the people of Kashmir.
“In this video people are holding banners against India. On banners its clearly written, “Go India, Go back”. But some men in uniform who are sitting in Delhi are getting these tweets posted through media anchors to give a false impression that Kashmiris are against Pakistan”
https://twitter.com/sageelani/status/1156649350493298688
“25,000 more killers moved to Indian occupied Kashmir.”
https://twitter.com/sageelani/status/1157011276876406784
“This tweet must be taken as an SOS (Save Our Souls) message to all Muslims living on this planet. If we all die and you kept quite you will be answerable to Allah the Magnificent. Indians are about to launch the biggest genocide in the history of Mankind. May Allah protect us.”
https://twitter.com/sageelani/status/1157651337498320896
“New Delhi must not forget that this is not 1947 and any such mischief will be resisted to the maximum.”
https://twitter.com/sageelani/status/1157737948516945922
These are just a few recent tweets form this account earlier too similar anti-India tweets had surfaced from this account which was believed to be operated by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and would time and again spark outrage on social media. Nonetheless, chances of Pakistan operating this twitter handle under the name of a veteran Hurriyat leader is the only valid explanation for the bilious tweets which finds overwhelming patronage from Pakistani followers and media. It is also another indication of Pakistan’s involvement of similar covert tactics to influence political situations in India by inciting fear and anger to push Pakistan’s Kashmir agenda.
Earlier, Pakistan was called out by Indian Army when Pakistan had claimed that Indian Defence forces had used Cluster bombs against them, The Indian Army had responded to misleading tweets spreading false information. The Indian Army had said, “Pakistan army regularly attempts to push terrorists through infiltrations and opens up with multitude of weapons to assist them.” The Indian Army has also made it clear that during several Directorate of Military Operations-level talks, the right to respond has been maintained by it. In its statement, the Army said, “Such responses are only against military targets and infiltrating terrorists who are aided by Pak Army. Allegations of firing of cluster bombs by India is yet another Pak’s lie, deceit and deception.”
The twitter account handled by Pakistan and functioning under the name of Kashmir Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, all meant to incite the people of Kashmir shall not come as a surprise. Pakistan’s propaganda wing led by DG-ISPR, Asif Ghafoor has been in action of late and the lies peaked during the Balakot airstrikes episode in February. Asif Ghafoor also posted a video recently spreading fake news and had turned into a laughing stock for the world to see.