Vice Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi Friday said thousands of Kashmiris were being tortured, humiliated and subjected to worst kind of oppression in jails, police stations and interrogation centers.
“Hundreds have been put behind bars for life and hundreds of young boys are being subjected to worst kind of state terrorism in police stations. Political space has been choked and an atmosphere of fear has been created throughout the valley. This unilateral state terrorism is actually pushing Kashmiri youth to the wall and promoting violence,” Bakhshi said while leading a protest rally of JKLF at Lal Chowk today. The rally was organized as a show of solidarity with Kashmiri prisoners and youth who are languishing in jails and police stations and against growing “state terrorism,” a spokesman of the JKLF said.
The rally started from JKLF office at Abi Guzar and participants chanting slogans in favor of martyrs, prisoners and resistance marched towards Lal Chowk. This rally was stopped by police and forces near press enclave and after stiff resistance police arrested various JKLF leaders and activists.
“Those who have been arrested included JKLF vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakshshi, JKLF vice chairman Mushtaq Ajmal, zonal president Noor Muhammad Kalwal, JKLF deputy organizer Siraj ud Din Davood, Zonal general secretary Sheikh Abdul Rashid, zonal organizer Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, district president Showkat Ahmad Dar, activists Ghulam Muhammad Dar, Ghulam Rasool Hazari, Mushtaq Ahmad Gabroo, Hanief Muhammad Dar, Imtiyaz Ahmad Ganai, Shakir Ahmad Ahangar and Shahid Makaya,” the spokesman said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Before his arrest, Showkat Bakhshi while addressing the participants said, “India and its stooges have virtually choked every little space and no one is being allowed to speak , protest or meet people. Youth are being arrested, tortured and humiliated in police stations. Nocturnal raids, search operations by Police STF during which they abuse and humiliate common people freely and other oppressive measures have become a daily routine.”
“All these unilateral acts of state violence are promoting more violence and pushing common youth towards wall,”he added.
While paying tributes to recently slain youth of Pulwama Shaheed Talib Shah who was educated young man and was pushed to wall by police and forces, JKLF leader said, “Blood of these martyrs will not go waste. Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi while condemning today’s police firing at Kakapora Pulwama in which many have been injured, prayed for the early recovery of injured person.”
Meanwhile a JKLF delegation led by district president Ganderbal Bashir Ahmad Rather (Boya) visited Manasbal where two kids were martyred while playing with some explosives. Bashir Ahmad and other members of the delegation visited the bereaved family and expressed solidarity with them. Another delegation led by deputy district president Pulwama Muhammad Rajab visited Kakapora and participated in the Jinaza prayers of Talib Shah and expressed solidarity with his family.