Jammu, March 13: Over a crore is spent every year to shield 10 Jammu and Kashmir leaders.

The chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, is among the most heavily protected, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the legislative council last week.

The Mirwaiz and his family have been the target of several militant attacks and threats from those opposed to his path of trying to end the Kashmir tangle through dialogue with Delhi.

He is entitled to Z-category security.

Among the others who get the security cover are two of the Mirwaiz’s predecessors, Moulvi Abbas Ansari and Abdul Ghani Bhat, and Mohammad Yaqoob Vakeel, Sajjad Lone, Bilal Gani Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah.

The government spent Rs 1.10 crore on the security of these leaders in 2005.

Azad, who disclosed the figures while replying to a question in the House, however, advised the members not to rake up such sensitive and security-related issues in public when the peace process is underway at a great pace.

In reply to another question, the chief minister said foreign tours by the separatist leaders had helped them become more aware of the ground realities of the Valley impasse.

“They projected their point of view before the international community in various countries, especially in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The response they got enabled them to confront the ground realities. And there is a positive change in their attitude and approach in resolving the Kashmir issue,” Azad said.