On Different Pitch,Netizens Troll JKCA’S New CEO For His ‘Murky’ Past

Srinagar—Netizens took to various social media platforms to express their views on the appointment of the former officer of counter-insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) of local Police Ashiq Hussain Bukhari as Chief Executive Officer for Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. 

The ex-cop was trolled in the social media the day he was appointed as the CEO of JKCA by the high court.

Shaoib Noor, a Facebook user while referring to the appointment posted on his facebook wall: “Meanwhile in Daakistan, a word of caution for all cricket players: Remember If you fail to perform from now onwards, you could be ‘caught’ without notice, You could be ‘retired hurt’. There would be no ‘appeal’ and no ‘bail’, You would be living in the corridor of uncertainty. You could have leg break, you could be bowled out and could be as dead as the ball. The ‘Ashes’ would be scattered here and there. Howzzat!”

Local journalist Majid Hyderi wrote sarcastically, “BCCI has to change cricket rules in Ashiq Bukhari’s honour”.

“Wide-ball will be renamed as misfire; Any batsman found running between the wickets, will do it at his own risk and cost; No more standing positions, fielders will have to lie down in the posture of ambush during matches; Phrase ‘Caught and Bold’ will be replaced with ‘Caught and Killed’; Role of umpires will be played by informers with hidden faces, whose identity will not be declared under any circumstances; Spinner will be known as Ikhwanis,” Hyderi taunted his appointment.

Another Journalist Gowhar Geelani on his Facebook wall wrote: “Managing cricketing affairs is not a law and order problem. It is no operation either. Such a shame.”

A Facebook user Azaan Mir reacted by writing: “Bouncer ball will be called pawa shell, yorker ball will be called sound shell and pellet will be called short pitch ball!!”

Another Srinagar based Journalist, Samaan Latif wrote: “Now sharpshooters will play cricket, guns will replace bats and bullets will be cricket balls.”

Immediately after his retirement as SSP Srinagar in 2014, Bukhari was spotted sharing a stage with PDP patron and then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed addressing an election rally in north Kashmir’s Kupwara town. The rumours were doing rounds that he was about to join PDP.

But owing to the criticism from civil society for his ‘past role’, particualrl;y during 2010 uprising, the PDP immediately disowned him and even denied that he had addressed an election rally.

Opposition National Conference has been describing Bukhari as the pioneer of the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the state police “notorious” for human rights abuses.

Reportedly, at the peak of his career, many surrendered militants were hired by police to act as informers.

Bukhari is said to have managed to infiltrate his own men into the insurgent ranks to break their network and neutralized some of the top militants of Hizbul Mujahedin.

During a visit of a journalists’ delegation from Pakistan in 2004, Bukhari reportedly told a journalist that he had killed more than 300 militants in the areas under his jurisdiction. The boast reportedly prompted the journalist to reply, “What are you doing here. (President) Musharraf needs you in Waziristan.”

Rising through the ranks to become a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bukhari’s last posting was in Srinagar to tackle the 2010 unrest.

The then Chief Minister of the state Omar Abdullah, who appointed Bukhari as SSP Srinagar and gave him a free rein to handle the 2010 protests, was among the first to slam the PDP for welcoming Bukhari into its fold.

Another National Conference leader Mustafa Kamal also called Bukhari a “dreaded figure”.

He called Bukhari a figure of “notoriety” when it comes to his “brutal and ruthless” track record as a police officer.

Bukhari was reportedly called by PDP to help it tackle the situation in Kashmir, after the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on July 08 last year.

Bukhari also threatened an Editor of a local daily that he would “teach him a lesson” for “painting a bad picture” of him in a news report.

“Those who don’t know me, they have no right to criticize me. My colleagues who have worked with me are the best one to judge me, rest I can’t do anything to anyone. Let people criticize,” Bukhari said while talking to Kashmir Observer. 

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