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Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) commemorated the martyrdom anniversaries of Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone, and the victims of the Hawal massacre, highlighting their contributions and sacrifices for the Kashmiri freedom movement.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq was assassinated on May 21, 1990, at his residence in Srinagar by unidentified gunmen. On the same day, Indian troops opened fire on his funeral procession in Hawal, Srinagar, resulting in over 70 deaths. Additionally, on May 21, 2002, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone was killed by unknown attackers after he attended a memorial at the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar.
The APHC leaders issued statements asserting that the legacy of these leaders and other martyrs of the movement motivates the Kashmiri people to persist in their quest for self-determination. The leaders called for special prayers for the deceased and emphasized the ongoing plight of pro-freedom leaders and political prisoners in the region. They urged international bodies like the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene and protect the lives of Kashmiris under duress.
Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, also paid homage to Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq, declaring that he continues to live in the hearts of the Kashmiri people. Furthermore, APHC-AJK leaders expressed grief over the recent deaths of Iranian leaders in a helicopter crash, highlighting a pattern of targeted killings of pro-freedom figures by India, aimed at weakening the Kashmiri independence movement.