Protest march held in Srinagar
ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):A protest demonstration was held in Srinagar on Tuesday against the killings and harassment of civilians by Indian forces and illegal detention of Hurriyat leaders and activists in the territory.
The protest was organized by resistance leaders outside the historical Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, KMS reported.
Holding banners and placards, the protestors raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Speakers on the occasion said that Jammu and Kashmir was a living reality and its disputed nature could not be challenged.
They demanded immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to nocturnal raids, harassment and beating up of residents and ransacking of their properties in various districts of Kashmir.
The Awami Action Committee led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement expressed serious concern over the launch of cordon and search operations and house-to-house searches by Indian troops, weeks ahead of January 26, the India’s Republic Day.
The statement said that the entire Valley had been turned into a military garrison. It stated that the youth were rounded up and lodged in various police stations as if they were criminals.
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir General Secretary, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly condemned the house arrest of Syed Ali Gilani and other pro-freedom leaders terming it as political vendetta.
Meanwhile, a civilian succumbed to his injuries in a hospital in Srinagar, today. The victim identified as Muhammad Ayoub was hit by a bullet when the troops opened fire on protesters during a cordon and search operation at Batmurran-Wanpora in Shopian, last month.
Hurriyat leaders Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Zafar Akbar Butt, Javed Ahmad Mir and Yasmin Raja in their addresses and statements paid rich tributes to the deceased, Muhammad Ayoub. They said that India had created a war-like situation in occupied Kashmir and on the Line of Control to distract the attention of international community from its state terrorism in the territory. A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement participated in funeral prayers of Muhammad Ayoub at Chitragaam in Shopian.
The Jammu and Kashmir Teachers’ Forum Chairman, Abdul Qayoom Wani, while addressing a meeting of office-bearers in Srinagar termed as unjustified the Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat’s remarks regarding teaching of Jammu and Kashmir map in schools.