In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani has condemned the excessive use of force and crackdown against civilian population by Indian army and police in Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts in south Kashmir.
Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “New Delhi has waged a war against civilians. My appeal to youth is to maintain discipline and order during resistance against state sponsored oppression. They should remain cautious and show wisdom.” He said, “Forces are laying siege in villages and during crackdown people are thrashed and properties ransacked. Even people are showered with bullets and pellets if they express their resentment against this barbarism.”
Gilani said, “New Delhi has turned Kashmir into a battlefield and Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s arrogant and unrealistic statements have added fuel to the fire. People are subjected to the worst kind of punishment for demanding their right, right to self-determination.”
He hailed the steadfastness and determination of prisoners of conscience languishing in different jails including Shabbir Ahamad Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Fahmeedah Sofi, Naheedah Nasreen, Peer Saifullah, Altaf Ahamad Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Raja Meraj-ud-Din Kalwal, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahamad Dar, Shahid Yousaf, Syed Shakeel Ahmad, Zahoor Ahamad Watali, Dr. Gh. Mohammad Butt, Dr. Mohammad Qasim, Dr. Shafi Sharity, Ghulam Quadir Butt, Musarrat Aalam Butt, Ghulam Mohammad Khan Sopori, Mohammad Yousaf Falahi, Ab. Gani Butt, Umar Aadil Dar, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Farooq Tawheedi, Mohammad Ayoub Mir, Mirza Nisar Ahmad, Sheer Ali Butt, Latif Ahmad Waja, Shawkat Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Yousuf Mir, Nazir Ahmad Denter, Shakeel Ahmad Yatoo, Bilal Ahmad Kota, Mohammad Ayoub Dar, Sheikh Mohammad Ramzan, Ashiq Hussain Narchoor, Farooq Ahmad, Manzoor Ahmad Mir, Feroz Ahmad Butt, Tariq Ahmad Butt, Bashir Ahmad Qureshi, Ghulam Mohammad Tantray, Ashiq Hussain Butt, Basharat Ahmad Mir, Manzoor Ahmad Najar, Riyaz Ahmad Dar, Latif Ahmad Rather, Lateef Ahmad Dar, Showkat Ahmad Ganie, Sajad Ahmad Butt, Asadullah Parray, Bilal Ahmad Ganie, Nisar Ahmad Najar, Riyaz Ahmad Ahanger, Hakeem Showkat, Mehraj-ud-din Gojri, Sajad Molvi, Abdul Hamid Butt, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Magloo, Sirajudin and others.
The APHC chairman said that authorities under a well thought conspiracy prolong their detention and despite court orders, were not released. He appealed to the world community and the UN to intensify pressure on New Delhi to pave the way for settlement of the Kashmir dispute.
Gilani said, “New Delhi should accept defeat as it has lost its credibility and legitimacy. No accountability exists on ground as forces have been vested with unbridled powers to harass people.”
“New Delhi is doing everything undemocratic to silence pro-freedom leaders and activists. It is nothing but a desperate attempt to put a blanket on the state crafted and orchestrated gross violation of basic human rights, but these inhuman acts have never been able to put a lid on heinous crimes committed by the state.”
He said, “New Delhi’s response, unsurprisingly, has been denial and plain lies, and given that, we hope the United Nations and the world community wakes up to the fact that more pressure is needed to make Delhi realize that Kashmiris too are human beings.”
