- Mirwaiz urges India, Pakistan to discuss CBMs on Kashmir
SRINAGAR, February 9: In occupied Kashmir, complete shutdown was observed, Tuesday, to mark the third martyrdom anniversary of prominent Kashmiri martyr, Muhammad Afzal Guru.
Call for the strike was given by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik. The strike was also meant to demand the mortal remains of the martyred liberation leaders, Muhammad Afzal Guru and Muhammad Maqbool Butt, buried in New Delhi’s Tihar jail.
Muhammad Afzal Guru was hanged in Tihar Jail on this day in 2013, while Muhammad Maqbool Butt was sent to the gallows on the 11th February in 1984. They were buried in the premises of the jail. On the other hand, the authorities had imposed undeclared curfew and strict restrictions in Srinagar and areas of the territory. Indian troops and police personnel were deployed in strength to prevent people from staging anti-India demonstrations.
Police detained or put under house arrest scores of pro-freedom leaders and activists to prevent them from holding protests against the hangings.
The All Parties Hurriyet Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, in a statement issued in New Delhi denounced the arrests of Hurriyet leaders and activists by Indian authorities in the occupied territory. Meanwhile, All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has welcomed the proposed foreign secretary-level talks between Pakistan and India, urging the two countries to ensure discussion on Kashmir-specific Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the meeting. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said this during a media interview after holding a meeting with Abdul Basit, the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi.
“I demanded that Kashmiris should feel the benefits of Pakistan-India dialogue to which Hurriyet extends its full support,” he added.-KMS
