Srinagar: Senior members of Hurriyat Conference JK (HCJK) and chairman Islamic Political Party (IPP) Muhammad Yousuf Naqash Wednesday expressed shock over the death of a girl, Saima Riyaz, who died in a shell explosion outside his home in Lashipora Khag. He said that India has turned Kashmir into a minefield and turned the beautiful Tosamaidan meadow into the meadow of death. In a statement issued to KNS, Naqash appealed the international Centre for Humanitarian Demining to take strong notice of the Tosamaidan in located Indian Occupied Kashmir, which has turned killed hundreds of people.
Around 200 people have lost their lives in Tosamaidan surroundings due to heavy artillery drills conducted by the Indian army in the meadow over the years, he said. “The little girl Saima Riyaz is the latest victim of this death zone” He said. Naqash stated that it had been their long sought-after demand that all the areas bordering Tosa Maidan should not be only demilitarized and purged of explosive shells, but Army should vacate that area.
“All the hilly areas of Kashmir have been turned into minefields that have not only claimed hundreds of lives but have left the lives of human beings and other livestock at the razors edge. The people of the area have protested time and again over the losses of lives due to unexploded shells, but the authorities had remained unmoved over the issue,” he added.
Naqash condemned the illegal detention of Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) President, Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan and said that Dr Nisar’s detention is unjustifiable and un-democratic. “Dr Nisar’s only sin is that he is speaking his heart out against the drug mafias and other atrocities, but his voice has been suppressed by oppressive tactics. He should be released as early as possible.” He said. Meanwhile, the party spokesperson has condemned the continuous police raids on the house of party Chairman M Y Naqash and termed it another tactic to harass the family members of freedom lovers.
He said that the prolonged detention of senior Hurriyat leaders of HCJK including Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq-ul-Islam and Hurriyat (G) Chief Syed Ali Geelani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and its other party leaders has once again exposed the India’s claims of world’s largest democracy.