AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Srinagar, August 31, 2016 (PPI-OT):In occupied Kashmir, the forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has strongly condemned arbitrary arrests and slapping of draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) against youth and Hurriyet activists at will across the Kashmir Valley as a deterrent and to punish people for their association with the ongoing freedom struggle.
The forum spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the arrest of Advocate Hassan Babar in Jammu region, a student Rehmatullah and four youth from Ganderbal booked under the draconian PSA was deplorable. “Ransacking homes, beating up people, damaging properties, abusing and humiliating the masses at various places in the Valley by the armed forces has not been able to break the people’s resolve but strengthened it further,” he said.
The spokesman said that mass rallies held in Sopore, Dooru, Palhallan, Qazigund and other areas despite restrictions and huge presence of Indian forces showed that despite facing tremendous hardships in last 52 days peoples’ passion for the movement was intact. He said, the entire Kashmir Valley, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Drass and Kargil areas of Ladakh region are actively participating in all forms of protests, sending a clear message to the people of India and the international community what they want.
The forum spokesman welcomed the statement of Sikh Intellectuals Circle in which they had pitched for holding of plebiscite in Kashmir and thanked them and acknowledged their courage in taking a principled stand regarding the Kashmir dispute. He also lashed out at the puppet authorities for imposing contained curfew and restrictions in Srinagar and other areas.
Meanwhile, Anjuman-i-Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, in a statement termed the arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as acceptance of defeat by the government of India and its puppet administration in the territory. It said that the Mirwaiz was being detained to deliberately create a communication gap between him and the people. The Anjuman-i-Auqaf also condemned the authorities for stopping people from offering Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar and other major mosques and shrines for eight consecutive weeks by imposing curfew, restrictions and curbs and using excessive force.
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