Intense clashes erupt in IOK, assailants target Indian Army camp

— Ali Gilani says Kashmir can ignite human disaster in world

–Senate chairman says if action could be taken in Iraq, then why not Kashmir?

In India-occupied Kashmir (IOK), massive clashes erupted in Mazhama area of Magam in Budgam district on Sunday despite a curfew imposed in Narbal and Kawoosa areas to prevent a march towards Narbal, as a part of protest programme given by joint Hurriyet leadership.

Meanwhile, armed assailants attacked an Indian army camp in Baramulla in north Kashmir, about 50 km from Srinagar.

Early reports said assailants attacked the 46 Rashtriya Rifles camp at about 10.30 pm, first hurling grenades and then opening fire.

The Jammu and Kashmir police said the attackers were immediately engaged by security forces and two Border Security Force personnel were injured.

The clashes continued in Mazhama against vandalism carried out by the Indian forces in the area. Forces fired teargas shells on the protesters, triggering intense clashes in Sofi Mohalla of Mazhama village, Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reported.

Late night clashes were also reported from Kanihama and Mazhama villages of the district.

Meanwhile, authorities also imposed strict curfew in Kawoosa and Narbal areas to thwart proposed ‘Narbal Chalo’ call.

Barricades were placed near Chinar Colony Kawoosa and Narbal Crossing while the Srinagar-Gulmarg highway was closed.

A youth, Muzaffar Ahmad Pandit, a resident of Kawoosa in Narbal area of Budgam district, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Srinagar, raising the number of civilians killed by Indian forces during the ongoing Kashmir Intifada to 108.He underwent three surgeries in his left eye; however, he succumbed to his injuries.

On the other hand, All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) Chairman Syed Ali Gilani cautioned the world that the lingering Kashmir dispute is the only factor that can ignite a human disaster in South Asia and the world at large.

Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “The forces and brains responsible for this unbearable loss to the humanity are Indian stubbornness and unrealistic attitude, their collaborator’s shameless veil for the oppressor, and above all, the criminal and condemnable silence of the world community.”

Referring to the stooges of India, he said, “Barbaric and uncivilised conduct by the oppressor is expected, but more lethal and deadly weaponry used by the collaborators of this oppression is more worrisome and distressing.”

“Whenever forced and unethical [Indian] control is threatened, these collaborators come to their rescue and they shamelessly bargain for petty and trivial interests and lust for power,” he maintained, adding that had they cared, represented and stood for the genuine rights of the people, India would have been forced into subjugation.

“But they wickedly played the sentiment card for their own bargains, conveying and convincing the oppressor to accommodate only them, lest the voice of freedom is sure to reverberate,” he deplored.

Senate chairman questions double standards of world community:

Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani reiterated that Pakistan is a peace loving country but would respond in a befitting manner if the war was imposed on it.

“Pakistan is a peaceful country but we just cannot remain ignorant to the atrocities being perpetrated by the Indian government against people for their legitimate struggle,” Raza Rabbani said and added that the Kashmiris had been given the right of self-determination by the United Nations’ resolution to that effect.

“If an action could be taken in Iraq on the basis of a UN resolution, then why this glaring duality of approach in the case of Kashmir?” he asked.

Raza Rabbani asked why westerners were totally silent in the case of blatant violations of fundamental rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Senate chairman said, “We seek a reduction in tensions but when there’s a talk of revoking the Indus Waters Treaty, we cannot remain silent. This would be tantamount to war. India is just not within its right to revoke the treaty unilaterally.”

On the cancellation of the SAARC summit in Islamabad, he said that SAARC countries must ponder the issue as to why a country should opt out of the conference on the basis of its bilateral disputes with a member country. The countries, he said, should rather consider excluding the boycotting country.