MUMBAI: Times Now, one of the leading English news channels last Saturday (6 May) had revealed the funding nexus between Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and Hurriyat leaders to keep alive the separatist movement in Jammu & Kashmir, a Times release stated.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, reacting to the expose, has demanded for President’s rule in Kashmir. "We need immediate President’s rule in Kashmir," said Subramanian Swamy, BJP MP, in reaction to the story.

There are a slew of documents that have been accessed by Times Now, showing the nexus between Pakistan and the separatist leaders responsible for radicalising the youth in Jammu and Kashmir, the release added.

The historic revelation has taken the political establishment by surprise. The Prime Minister’s Office taking note of the expose has asked for a close watch to be kept of financial activities of businessman associated with Kashmiri separatist, the release added.

Times Now editor in chief Rahul Shivshankar said, “The #PakistanKeDalal story kept viewers glued to their screens and Twitterati busy all day. The story trended for over eight hours and generated cumulative reach that was over four times that of any other news channel."

The expose showed how Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI has routed Rs 70 lakh or more to stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir through Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah, the release added.

It has also been revealed that an ISI man named Ahmad Sagar was constantly in touch with Shah, who belongs to the Hurriyat in Srinagar. As per information available with Times Now, Pakistan ISI channeled the money to Sagar, who then transferred it to Shah, the main accused in this story. Surprisingly, Sagar is known to be a close to Pakistan high commissioner to India Abdul Basit, the release added.

The investigation by Times Now establishes that Pakistan has not only been promoting cross-border terrorism, but also funding internal separatists in India to promulgate their 'Azaadi movement".

The 'Nation's Darkest Secret - Pakistan Ke Dalal' mega expose on TIMES NOW created ripples over social media through the weekend. #PakistanKeDalal trended in India for over 8 hours on 6th May with #ISIAgentHurriyat, #ISIAgentBurhan, #Suparijihadi etc keeping the Twitteratti buzzing. These conversations garnered a worldwide reach of 2384 million on Twitter. {Source: https://frrole.ai/scout (Data for 6 & 7 May 2017)}