Day: August 14, 2013

Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and other Hurriyet leaders, Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Shabbir Ahmed Shah, have urged the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to play an effective role in resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressing a seminar in Srinagar in connection with the 5th martyrdom anniversary of senior APHC leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, said, “The UN Secretary General must take steps in resolving the Kashmir dispute. Kashmiris are waiting and fighting for more than six decades to resolve the dispute through the UN resolutions. The implementation of these resolutions is the most valuable option to settle the dispute.”

The APHC Chairman deplored that India was always in denial mood regarding the UN involvement in the dispute. He also hailed Moon’s assertion in which he had asked New Delhi and Islamabad to defuse the tension on the Line of Control and to resolve all their outstanding issues amicably.

The APHC Chairman said that Kishtwar communal clashes were the handiwork of pro-India parties for their electoral gains. He criticized these parties for playing jingoistic politics on the LoC tension to create a war-like situation. He also demanded disarmament and disbanding of the so-called Village Defence Committees, which had unleashed a reign of terror on Muslims in Jammu region.

He also paid glowing homage to Sheikh Abdul Aziz, and said that the blood of martyrs would not be allowed to go waste and the Kashmiris would continue their mission till its complete success.

On the other hand, the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, in a statement in Srinagar appealed to Ban Ki-Moon for impressing upon India to shun its stubborn approach and take steps for resolving the lingering dispute. “India, Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir are the Prime parties of the issue. I urge Ban Ki-Moon to help and save precious lives in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir people have always made their sincere efforts to seek the UN intervention and since long are striving for the implementation of right to self-determination,” he said.

The veteran leader also greeted the people of Pakistan on the occasion of their Independence Day. He said that right from the very first day Pakistan had supported the Kashmir cause and seconded Kashmiris’ demand for right to self-determination.

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik and senior APHC leader, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, in their separate statements said that the UN had failed to implement its resolutions that had promised that the Kashmiris would be given an opportunity to decide their fate by themselves. They asked Ban Ki-Moon to pressurize India to fulfil the promises made by its leaders with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, youth including girls hoisted Pakistani flags in Srinagar city and other districts of the territory on independence day of Pakistan..

Pakistani green flags were seen unfurling at Pratab Park, Khanyar, Babademb, Rajouri Kadal, Dalgate, Nowhatta, Islamabad, Hajin in Bandipora and other parts of the territory.

Activists of Dukhtaran-i-Millat unfurled a Pakistani flag near Press Enclave Srinagar. “We erected Pakistani flags at various places as it was the independence day of Pakistan, the country which supports our cause. We hold a meeting in the heart of the city where National Anthem of Pakistan was sung,” Aasiya Andrabi told the media men in Srinagar.

Some youth unfurled four Pakistani flags at Babademb which attracted the attention of the people. Flags unfurled on lofty mobile towers were seen swirling throughout the day, eyewitness said.

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Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-R, Farooq Ahmad Dar, has termed the communal riots of Kishtwar as very unfortunate. Farooq Ahmed Dar in a statement issued in Srinagar warned those politicians who were trying to extract the political benefits out of these riots.

He lamented that the puppet administration had given a free hand to the communal forces in Kishtwar including the workers of Bharatiya Janata Party, Bajrang Dal and the members of so-called Village Defence Committees to commit atrocities on the Muslims in Jammu region. Farooq Dar appealed the senior and responsible people of Jammu region to come forward in order to pacify the situation in Kishtwar.

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Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) has admitted a petition in the firing incident in which 4 peaceful protesters were killed and 44 others injured by the troops of Indian Border Security Force at Gool in Ramban district of occupied Kashmir, last month.

The petition seeking an independent investigation in the incident to book the culprits was filed by a Social Activist, Inam-un-Nabi and Project Officer at a Kashmir-based legal aid NGO, Human Rights Law Network, Khair-un-Nisa, immediately after the incident on July 18.

The petition requested the NHRC to direct the puppet administration of occupied Kashmir to put an end to the civilian killings and imposition of frequent curfews after such incidents in the territory. The NHRC admitted the petition on August 12 to consider it for investigation.

Earlier, the NHRC had taken a suo moto cognizance of the incident asking the Indian Home Secretary and the Director General of Kashmir Police to file the report within four weeks.

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Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): Iran has urged Pakistan and India to show restraint and defuse the tension along the Line of Control through peaceful means. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Abbas Araqchi, at a regular press briefing in Tehran said, “We hope that the issues between the two countries… will be resolved through dialogue and peacefully.” “We believe in the wisdom of the leaders of the two countries,” he added.

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Srinagar, August 14, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference has filed a petition in the Human Rights Commission of the territory seeking disbanding of the so-called Village Defence Committees (VDCs). The move came amidst growing demand for dissolution of the VDCs in the wake of their involvement in fanning violence in Kishtwar district which has claimed three lives so far. The petition has been filed by advocate Aijaz Ahmad Dar on behalf of head of APHC’s legal cell, Abdul Manan Bukhari.

In the petition, the petitioner has submitted that the members of VDCs, created in 90’s in Jammu region, were involved in massive human rights violations and creating communal and ethnic divide. “VDC members have been found resorting to terror tactics, often causing greater violation of human rights by targeting civilians.

Not only have they caused greater communal and ethnic divide, their very existence defies any international law. There is every possibility and apprehension that communal forces like VDCs may repeat the 1947-like massacre and situation if they are not disbanded forthwith,” the petition read.

The petitioner maintained that the VDC members had been given a license to kill innocent persons and were not held accountable for their actions.

Detailing the human rights abuses committed by the militia including the recent rape of a girl and murder of a student, the petitioner charged the VDCs of misusing their authority. “VDC members have become something like a law unto themselves. Many VDC members are village touts with little or no education and many of them are hooligans,” the petitioner stated.

He prayed that the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary Home Department and Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar be directed to disband these Committees forthwith. “Besides, the respondents may be directed to furnish the explanation for their failure in controlling the communal riots,” the petition added.

On the other hand, the puppet administration has ruled out any possibility of disbanding of VDCs in the territory. “No, it is a policy decision. As of now there is no such plan (disbanding of VDCs). It is to be reviewed later,” Principal Secretary (Home), Suresh Kumar told reporters in Srinagar.

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