Srinagar: In occupied Kashmir, complete shutdown was observed across the Valley, today, to mark the martyrdom anniversaries of prominent liberation leaders, Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone.
Call for the shutdown and a march towards the Martyrs’ Graveyard at Eidgah in Srinagar was given by the joint resistance leadership to pay tributes to the martyrs. The puppet authorities had imposed curfew-like restrictions in Srinagar and other parts of the territory to prevent the march. All exit and entrance points in Srinagar were blocked with barricades and razor wire while residents were not allowed to come out from their houses.
Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his residence in Srinagar on 21st of May 1990. Seventy mourners were killed in Hawal area of the city when Indian troops opened fire on the funeral procession of the martyred. On the same day, in 2002, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone was killed by unknown assailants when he was returning from Eidgah after addressing a public gathering.
The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly denounced the ban on programmes, imposition of restrictions and detention of Hurriyet leaders and activists. He said that the authorities were playing a dangerous game by not allowing Hurriyet leadership to carry out its political activities in a peaceful way.
The Chairman of Hurriyet forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a media interview said that India was using its print and electronic media to tarnish the image of Hurriyet leadership. He said that the ongoing struggle in Kashmir was a people’s movement and Hurriyet represented their aspirations and sentiments.
The Indian authorities continued to put Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other Hurriyet leaders under house arrest. The police arrested Qazi Yasir and Mukhtar Ahmad Waza in Islamabad district.
Meanwhile, the authorities invoked draconian law, Public Safety Act, for the second time against Tehreek-e-Hurriyet leaders Abdul Ghani Butt, Abdur Rasheed Butt, Mashooq Ahmad Butt, Imtiaz Ahmad Mir and Merajuddin Naiko, and shifted them to Kotbhalwal jail in Jammu.
A civilian, Farooq Ahmad Dar who was tied to an Indian army jeep as a human shield in Central Kashmir’s Badgam district last month, has developed a serious mental ailment. Doctors at SMHS hospital in Srinagar reported that the patient had lost consciousness for about 30 minutes after the assault by the troops.