- Kashmiri leaders point out genocide by Indian forces in IHK
All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani have said that Indian forces are carrying out genocide in Jammu Kashmir under a well-thought-out plan.
In a joint statement, the Kashmiri leadership condemned the authorities for imposing curfew and restrictions and arresting Kashmiri leaders. They demanded immediate release of all illegal detainees and lifting of curbs in the disputed territory.
They said that Kashmir was not a law and order problem but a political issue and the Kashmiri people were peacefully pursuing their right to self-determination for the past seven decades. The authorities barred Mirwaiz from delivering a religious sermon at the shrine of Hazrat Naqashband Sahib at the Khawaja Bazar area in Srinagar.
The Hurriyat said in a statement that preventing Mirwaiz from carrying out his religious duties in the holy Islamic month of Ramazan was direct interference into religious affairs. Geelani made it clear that no talks would be held with India unless New Delhi accepts Kashmir as a dispute and withdraws its forces from the territory.
He said that the recent statement of Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Kashmir was illustration of his criminal mentality. He said that the tall claim of India being the largest democracy of the world was nothing but hoax as Indian political and military leadership were following fascist mindset.
APHC General Secretary Shabbir Ahmad Shah said that Indian leaders were deliberately issuing conflicting statements on Kashmir to mislead the world. He condemned the statement of Indian Minister Venkaiah Naidu that the Kashmir movement was restricted to only five districts and termed it as far from reality.
Lawyers associated with the Kashmir High Court Bar Association abstained from courts in protest against the reign of terror let loose by Indian forces in the territory and the ridiculous statement of the Indian Army chief on Kashmir. A complete shutdown was observed in Pulwama district for the fourth straight day against the killing of freedom fighters Sabzar Ahmad Butt and Faizan Ahmad.
