Rules bent to give govt job to Geelani’s grandson during 2016 Kashmir Unrest

When scores of Kashmiri mothers were receiving bodies of their sons covered in shrouds everyday on calls of strike by pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani throughout the latter half of 2016, his grandson managed to get an out-of-turn job with the Jammu & Kashmir government run by the PDP-BJP coalition.

Highly placed sources said Geelani’s grandson, Anees-ul-Islam, was appointed research officer in Sher-e-Kashmir international convention complex (SKICC), a subsidiary wing of the J&K tourism department, flouting all rules of recruitment policy of the state government. The pensionable job fetches an annual salary of Rs 12 lakh, sources said.

Anees, an MBA from Jalandhar, Punjab, was refused a passport by the state regional passport office on adverse reports from the J&K CID in 2009.

He was finally granted his passport following a state high court order. Anees went to the UK for another masters in business administration, sources said.

They added that the state tourism department, directly controlled by CM Mehbooba Mufti, did not refer the post to recruiting agencies like J&K State Subordinate Services Recruitment Board or Public Service Commission, mandatory for the selection process. However, tourism secretary Farooq Shah, who was also the chairman of of “senior selection committee”, said Geelani’s grandson Anees’s selection was made after following proper rules.”We invited applications from candidates; he was found fit for the post.”

However, an official at the Sher-e-Kashmir international convention complex (SKICC) told TOI that the tourism secretary had appointed Anees much earlier. The tourism department decided to accommodate Anees when Geelani was calling for protests and shutdowns, and violence, arson and killings were the order of the day , the official said. For want of his CID verification, which is still pending, Anees has not taken any salary yet. It will be paid to him pending clearance.

One of the applicants with an MBA degree said, “My application was accepted by the SKICC in October 2016; but, I was never called for an interview.” There were around 140 applications but nobody except a few favourable ones were called, he said.

One of Geelani’s grand daughters is working as a crew member in an airlines. Geelani’s one son, Naeem, is a doctor and was earlier employed in government health services department. Naeem’s elder daughter appeared for school exams in October 2016 despite a boycott call given by Geelani against attending schools.

Previous post Restrictions in Katra after traders protest over track construction
Next post Four laning of Boulevard to begin from March 10