Srinagar | WTNS | June 29:Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the face of Kashmir’s separatist politics over the last three decades, has announced his resignation from Hurriyat Conference, the biggest separatist amalgam in Kashmir. The 90-year-old was a lifelong chairman of the Hurriyat.

In an audio message, Syed Ali Shah Geelani said he was announcing his resignation from the All Party Hurriyat Conference because of “the current circumstances” in the umbrella group.

“In view of the current state of the Hurriyat Conference, I am announcing my complete dissociation from the forum. In this context I have already sent a detailed letter to all constituents of the forum,” said Mr Geelani in an audio message released this morning.

This marks a major development for separatist politics in Jammu and Kashmir after the government ended its special status under the constitution’s Article 370 in August last and split it into two union territories.

Sources say Mr Geelani had been facing criticism from groups in Pakistan for what they called his failure to respond to the government’s move. Since then, the veteran Hurriyat leader had been silent.