“Calling for an immediate end to state repression in IHK”
Khizar Hayat Abbasi;
MUZAFFARABAD: The journalist from all over Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) staged demonstrations in front of Indian High Commission in Islamabad to protest brutal killing of prominent journalist Shujaat Bukhari in Srinagar.
They also handed over a memorandum to United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) stationed in Rawalpindi and demanded UN probe of the gruesome murder.
Shujaat Bukhari, the editor of Rising Kashmir, one of the region’s leading newspapers, was killed on last Tuesday in Srinagar as he was leaving the paper’s office in downtown Srinagar, when the gunmen attacked his car.
The members of the different journalist bodies and press clubs from all ten districts of AJK earlier assembled in National Press Club Islamabad and later proceeded to Indian High Commission and UNMOGIP Office to hand over a memorandum.
Calling for high level investigation under UN on targeted killing of the journalist, the protestors led by President Central Press Club Muzaffarabad, Syed Abrar Haider and president TV Journalist Association, Muhammad Arif Urfi presented the memorandum to the Resident Coordinator of the UNMOGIP. The memorandum addressed to UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed grave concern over increasing military escalation between India and Pakistan at Line of Control and deteriorating human rights situation in Indian occupied Kashmir.
The journalist bodies blamed India for gagging the voices of the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir by targeting the independent journalist in the held valley. Earlier the journalists holding placards and banners reached the diplomatic enclave to stage a protest in front of Indian high commission against the brutal killing of journalist Shujat Bukhari.
The participants of the rally raised vociferous slogans against India and demanded protection of the journalists in the Indian held Kashmiri.
Addressing the protesters, President Central Press Club Muzaffarabad Syed Abrar Haider Shah, representatives of different journalists’ bodies including Sajjad Mir, Raja Shujaat Hussain, Tariq Naqash and other demanded immediate end of oppression and high handedness on the part of Indian forces and holding of plebiscite to determine the future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
