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Srinagar, March 03, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) organized a peaceful candlelight protest at Maisuma in Srinagar against the life sentences awarded to the Kashmiri youth and demanded return of mortal remains of Kashmiri leaders, Muhammad Maqbool Butt and Muhammad Afzal Guru, from New Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
The peaceful protest was led by the JKLF Acting Chairman, Bashir Ahmed Butt, and other liberation leaders, Noor Muhammad Kalwal and Javed Ahmed Mir. The protestors had tied red ribbons on their hands on the call of Muttahida Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM), a conglomerate of pro-liberation organisations, spearheading the campaign for return of bodies of Maqbool Butt and Afzal Guru.
Addressing the gathering, Noor Muhammad Kalwal reiterated the JKLF demand for revocation of life sentences to the Kashmiri youth and return of mortal remains of martyred leaders. “On 2nd and 20th of every month we organize candlelight protest against the life sentences given to Kashmiri youth and in solidarity with their families. It is so heart-rending that last time we were protesting against the death sentences of Afzal Guru. Now we are demanding his mortal remains,“ he said.
Kalwal said that it was mockery of justice that trial of a youth, Nazir Ahmed Sheikh, continued for 22 years and again he was sentenced to life imprisonment. He said that Hurriyet leader, Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo, and hundreds of Kashmiri boys were languishing in jail for the past many years.
Javed Ahmed Mir on the occasion termed the recent hanging of Afzal as political decision taken by the Indian government at the behest of rightwing parties. “Afzal Guru’s hanging was carried out for votes. Hindu extremist organizations forced the Government for carrying it. But we will continue to raise voice against this injustice,” he said.
Lashing out at the pro-India parties of the occupied territory for doing politics over the body of Afzal Guru, he said, “They are shedding crocodile tears after his death. If they are sincere then they should join Muttahida Majlis-e- Mushawrat.”
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