Srinagar, Oct 17 (KNS): The authorities today extended the detention period of Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to October 31, 2016.
The authorities have put curbs on Mirwaiz when he was first kept under house arrest and later shifted to sub-jail Chesma Shahi where he continues to be lodged from past one and a half month.
Strongly condemning the jailing of Mirwaiz, the APHC spokesman said that the government put ban on the political, social and religious activities of Mirwaiz. Besides, he said that due to continuous arrest, the health of Hurriyat Chairman was deteriorating.
Terming the continuous arrest of Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani, ailing Mohammad Yaseen Malik, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, GN Zaki, Advocate Shahid-ul- Islam and thousands of youth as a frustration of the Delhi administration, the spokesman said such draconian measures amount to political defeat. He demanded immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners.
The spokesman said Mirwaiz expressed serious concern and shock over a mysterious fire in Wadwan area of Kishtwar which turned the whole village into a pile of ash. He said the Hurriyat Chairman prayed for the fire victims so as they deal with the tragedy befallen on them. He said that International red cross and international aid organizations should come forward and help the needy fire victims in rehabilitation so that they can deal with the incoming winter season.
The spokesman condemned the use of brute force used by the government forces in Sonwar, arresting of youth in Old city by tracing their phone calls, and unleashing a reign of terror across Kashmir to stop people from demanding their right to self determination.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe further said the call for marches is being foiled forcefully even as the participants want to remain peaceful, and through peaceful means they want to inform Indians and international community that they should fulfill their pledge and conduct a vote for plebiscite in Kashmir. He said barbarian acts of government has so far left over 90 people dead, 15000 injured, 1000 blinded and over 8000 people including leaders have been arrested while over 550 people have been booked under infamous PSA so far.
Recollecting the past, the spokesman said Mirwaiz led lakhs of people to polo ground in 2008 from Jamia Masjid Srinagar where on way not a single incident of violence occurred, adding, apart from Mirwaiz, Syed Ali geelani, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah and other leaders addressed the mammoth rally, but nothing untoward happened. Similarly in 2010, APHC Chairman led another rally of lakhs of people from iddgah to Lal Chowk- the place where the first Indian prime minister pledged to Kashmiris that they would be allowed to vote to decide their political fate- but not a single violent incident occurred despite many military bunks and personnel manning the road. In 2016, the spokesman said that local administration on behalf of New Delhi is using brute force to repress the popular sentiment of Azaadi, but miserably failed. He said it was the Indian state which was perpetrating violence in Kashmir while Kashmiris want to express their political aspirations and emotions peacefully.
Using massive force against the unarmed Kashmiris, spokesman said, proves only one thing that India has failed to douse the spirit of freedom in Kashmir from 1947. (KNS)