In Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), Indian troops, in their fresh acts of state terrorism, martyred five Kashmiris in Pulwama and Kupwara districts on Friday.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the troops killed three youth in Thamuna area of Pulwama and one at Tunga-Kachama in Kupwara during the cordon and search operations. The troops also destroyed a residential house in Thamuna.
People took to the streets in Chatpora and Thamuna areas in Pulwama and staged forceful demonstrations against the operation. The troops fired bullets, pellets and teargas shells to disperse the protesters, triggering severe clashes. One more youth was martyred while several others were injured in the troops’ action.
Meanwhile, two Indian soldiers were injured in an attack on a patrolling party of Indian Army in Ahgam area of Shopian district.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference and the Hurriyat forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in their statements in Srinagar, expressed serious concerns over the horrific and fearful atmosphere created by the Indian forces’ personnel through frequent night raids on the residences of pro-freedom leaders and activists. They said that despite Indian state terrorism, the Kashmiri people would take their freedom movement to its logical conclusion.
The Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, in a meeting presided over by its Chairman Shabbir Ahmed Dar in Srinagar, paid a glowing tribute to a boy, Khalid Sharif, of Sopore on his 9th martyrdom anniversary. The meeting was attended by Muhammad Sultan Magray, Merajuddin Soleh, Bashir Ahmed and Ghulam Nabi Waseem. Hurriyat leaders Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Javaid Ahmed Mir, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and Imtiyaz Ahmad Reshi addressing gatherings in different areas said that the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs will not be allowed to go waste and their mission will be accomplished at all costs.
Dukhtaran-e-Millat, in a statement in Srinagar rejecting the latest recommendation of the Indian Home Ministry asking the National Investigation Agency to file a fresh first information report (FIR) against the party Chairperson Aasiya Andrabi, termed it another ploy of India to muzzle the genuine Kashmiri voices.
On the other hand, Kashmiri representatives, including Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, Professor Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Parvaiz Ahmed Shah and Shameem Shawl, addressing the UN Road Conference in Geneva, called upon the international community to help in resolving the Kashmir dispute by granting the Kashmiris their right to self-determination.
