Srinagar, Apr 06 (KNS): Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) on Friday said that its Zonal president, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Zonal vice president, Muhammad Yasin Butt along with activists, Muhammad Haneef Dar, Imtiyaz Ahmad Ganaie and Imtiyaz Ahmad shah were arrested by police when they were assembling to hold a peaceful protest against killings in Kashmir.
“Despite police highhandedness, crackdown and oppression, JKLF leaders and activists led by Zonal General Secretary Sheikh Abdul Rashid managed to gather at Masjid Shareef Abi-Guzar where they staged a peaceful protest against Shopian massacre and oppression unleashed on students across valley,” JKLF spokesman said in a statement issued to KNS.
On JRLs call, JKLF leaders and activists were scheduled to hold peaceful protest at Budshah Chowk Srinagar but when as Noor Muhammad Kalwal reached Maisuma, he was arrested by police and shifted to Kothibagh police station.
“Police then raided JKLF office at Abi-Guzar Srinagar and arrested Muhammad Yasin Butt along with Muhammad Haneef Dar, Imtiyaz Ahmad Ganaie and Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah. Police laid a tight siege around Abi-Guzar Masjid and sealed all ways leading towards the Masjid,” the statement added.
The spokesman further stated that Kalwal was later shifted to police station Zaina Kadal.
Notably, JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik is in Srinagar central jail from last Monday along with JKLF leaders Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi and Basher Ahmad Kashmiri while as JKLF leader Siraj ud din Mir is in Kreeri police station and JKLF district president Baramulla Abdul Rashid Magloo is languishing in sub-jail Baramullah.
“Despite this entire police highhandedness and crackdown, JKLF leaders and activists led by Zonal general secretary Sheikh Abdul Rashid managed to reach there and staged a peaceful protest outside the Masjid. JKLF vice chairman Mushtaq Ajmal along with leaders’ professor Javed, Ashraf bin Salam, Ghulam Muhammad Dar, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Fayaz Ahmad, Basharat Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad also participated in the protest program,” the spokesman said.
He said that on the occasion, JRL’s memorandum was also read before the press.
Condemning the spree of killings, police ‘highhandedness and oppression unleashed’ against protesting students especially girl students, Malik as per the spokesman said that the rulers and their police have actually crossed every limit of highhandedness and shame and are hell bent to trample every voice of dissent by military might.
He said that “Shopian massacre and pellet terrorism which killed many more and injured hundreds is being followed by suppression and state sponsored terrorism. The way police laid a siege around every Masjid, every nook and corner of Lal Chowk and other parts of Srinagar and rest of the valley today, speaks volumes about the colonial and chauvinist mindset of India and its Kashmiri supporters working in the form of PDP and other pro-India politicians and assembly members.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel”
JKLF chairman while condemning the Shopian massacre, pellet and bullet terrorism unleashed by India ‘trigger happy’ forces which has killed many and wounded scores of people across the Valley, said that Kashmiri resilience and steadfastness has shaken the oppressors and whatever is being done by police today is a glaring evidence of the frustration of rulers and their forces are suffering from.
He also condemned the police oppression unleashed against students across valley yesterday and said that “peaceful protest against genocide is birth right of every human but Kashmir has been turned into a police state where law of jungle is prevailing and in practice, which is highly condemnable.”
Meanwhile, Malik said that the struggle and sacrifice of Sheikh Tariq will be always remembered and “today when we recall this great son of soil we pay tributes to his valor and passion.”
On martyrdom day of Sheikh Tariq, a condolence meeting was held at his residence Chanapora.
JKLF leaders Advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, Engineer Ghulam Rasool Dar Eidi, and Muhammad Sideeq Shah, Peer Abdul Rashid, Nazir Ahmad Hajam and others participated in the meeting.
While recalling the struggle and sacrifices of Sheikh Tariq Advocate, JKLF leaders on the occasion said that “Tariq was a great warrior, leader and national hero of Kashmiris. He laid down his life for freedom of his nation and never compromised in the way of struggle and resistance.”
They said that “continued struggle, braveness, wisdom and resilience’s were his trademark. They said that martyr Tariq was a keen follower of Islam; his passion for free Jammu Kashmir was unparallel and he will be remembered for all these qualities.”
Meanwhile, various JKLF delegations visited the families of recent martyrs in Kulgam, Shopian and Kangan and expressed solidarity with them.
JKLF district president Ganderbal Bashir Ahmad Rather (Boya) led a delegation consisting of Ghulam Jeelani, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and Muhammad Yousuf to Kangan where they expressed solidarity with the bereaved family of Gowhar Ahmad Rather.
JKLF district president Kulgam Abdul Sattar led another delegation comprising of Ghulam Hassan, Assadullah Sheikh, Malik Maqbool and Muhammad Iqbal to various villages of Kulgam where they expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of recent martyrs Ishfaq Ahmad Thokar, Gayas ul Islam ,Raees Ahmad Thokar, M. Iqbal Malik, Meraj ud din Mir, Zubair Ahmad Butt and Gowhar Ahmad Rather. (KNS)