Jamaat in Kashmir elects moderate Bhat as Amir

Moderate ideologue Ghulam Mohammad Bhat was elected Amir (Chief) of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), a prominent politico-religious organisation in Kashmir. He has remained the JeI head thrice in the past and returned to the post after 12 years. His election is significant because he is a known opponent to hardline approach of Hurriyat Conference chief Syed Ali Geelani, who floated his own Tahreek-e-Hurriyat party in 2003 after leaving Jamaat.

Bhat is known for bringing out JeI from a tumultuous period of early 1990s when a significant cadre of the organisation was targeted by the security forces for their support to militancy. Hizbul Mujahideen, the indigenous militant outfit, derived most of its cadre from the Jamaat. The Hizb was officially the military wing of Jamaat for some period but Bhat played crucial role in distancing the two groups and returning Jamaat to its reformist basics.