Business leader for whom Valley shut down

Yasin Khan, 58, president of Traders & Manufacturers Union, was called to Delhi by NIA.

When Yasin Khan, now 58, became president of the Traders and Manufacturers Federation in 2010, not many outside his fraternity were familiar with him. In the last seven years, he has not only gained prominence but also become a familiar name with separatists, leaders of mainstream parties and even those in New Delhi as a business leader.

Signs of his clout came last week, after he was summoned to Delhi by the National Investigation Agency. He had traders assemble to discuss a strategy. And on Monday, when Khan and four aides left for Delhi, traders in the Valley observed a shutdown terming his summoning a witch hunt. Even separatists backed the strike call.

Now in his third term as president of the trade body, Khan has been getting reelected with the help of various affiliate trade bodies. His adversaries accuse him of using the trade body for personal benefit and “managing” his election in 2013, which led to a split with many traders forming a parallel federation after Khan refused to hold polls. His aides describe him as a powerful leader who has worked “selflessly” for the fraternity, especially after the 2014 floods in Srinagar.

Khan is also chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance, an amalgam of several associations. Following his election, however, the alliance too has split.

Khan owns a retail/wholesale shop, Fashion Treasure, close to business nerve centre Lal Chowk. His aides claim he has the distributorship of over a dozen readymade firms.

Originally a resident of Kokerbazar, Khan now lives on the city outskirts. While some say he is close to J&K Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, he has also had meetings with mainstream leaders such as CM Mehbooba Mufti and former CM Omar Abdullah. He often meets delegations from Delhi in search of a “solution” to the Kashmir issue. Following the killing of Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last year, Khan did not meet visiting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a delegation of MPs, but later met a delegation that included civil society members as well as BJP leader Yashwant Sinha.

Khan is also known to spearheaded protests against the government; recently he was put under house arrest following a protest against GST in J&K.