Anantnag, Jan 04 (KNS): The Ummat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir Chairman and Mirwaiz of South Kashmir, Qazi Ahmed Yasir, today welcomed the quashing of Public Safety Act on senior party leader, Moulana Sarjan Barkati but condemned his re-arrest immediately after his release from Kotbalwal jail.
In a statement issued to KNS, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir also said that Barkati became pioneer of the 2016 uprising and an idol of youth but ironically like many others in jails, he has also been forgotten by everyone, including the leaders of movement. Mirwaiz rebukes the carelessness of the Hurriyat leadership. He also said that the lawmakers raising Barkati’s slogans in the assembly was only theatrics and road shows to sell their own products. “The lawmakers were only playing politics by using tactics of Barkati while they don’t even believe in a single slogan or word they say in the assembly.
A senior Ummat-e-Islami leader, Sarjan Barkati, became popular mainly in South Kashmir during the uprising for his unique style of protests and sloganeering that pulled crowds in thousands. Barkati is from Reban, Shopian and was arrested on October 1 while going to a rally. He was booked under the draconian Public Safety Act and shifted to Kotbalwal jail. While the court had quashed his PSA but the police arrested him again, which is not only illegal but also abuse of his rights.
Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that people should be concerned about everyone who is languishing in jail, just like Barkati. “So many youths and leaders were arrested for being part of the uprising and once everything was back to normal, people moved ahead and forgot.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelEven the pro-freedom leaders have not once condemned Barkati’s PSA or re-arrest, who was instrumental in changing the dynamics of protests in South Kashmir. Such a treatment by pro-freedom leadership to people who are pillars of the movement only disheartens them from everything and develops discontent against each other, which is also detrimental in breeding a fresh leadership,” he said.
However, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said, as Muslims it is our first duty to keep check on people around us. "A whole population can't run on mere hope but leadership has to fight for everyone. People need healing from the leadership not just words. If no one cares about Barkati and all those youths then it is right to say that only those people get affected directly who go out selflessly for the cause. Everyone else moves on, forgetting those who died and ones who are in jail,” he said.
He also demanded that the Indian government must release the Pakistani citizen, Rubina and her son, from the jail on humanitarian grounds as it has not been her fault that she lost her documents. Rubina had come to India for treatment of asthma in 2012, accompanied by her husband and daughter. When her husband abandoned them in New Delhi, taking along her passport, money and visa, she came Kashmir to cross into Pakistan but was arrested by government forces on Nov 6, 2012 and sent to jail. (KNS)