Srinagar: Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Muhammad Yasin Malik on Friday accused the government forces of “turning Kashmir into a killing field.” “Indian forces are killing Kashmiris at will,” he told a public gathering at Chrar-i-Sharief shrine in Budgam district after Friday prayers.
He said peace and stability depend on resolution of disputes and issues as “peace cannot be established in vacuum.”
“United Nations as a responsible forum has to rise above lip-service and play its role in resolving Kashmir and Palestine disputes,” he said.
A JKLF spokesperson said Malik went underground yesterday evening as police were out to arrest him and prevent him from reaching Chrar-i-Sharif.
He said police have arrested JKLF vice-chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi and shifted him to police station Parimpora.
“I had to go into hiding to reach here because the so-called rulers have almost imposed martial law in Kashmir where no political and even religious activity is being allowed,” Malik said.
He said today was the last Friday of this year’s Ramadhan and every Muslim was duty-bound to reach Jamia Masjid or other big places of worship for prayers.
“But the PDP-led regime, implementing RSS agenda, banned even Friday congregations and imposed curfew in most parts of Kashmir including Jamia Masjid Srinagar,” he said.
“This is enough evidence that the PDP-led ruling regime is anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmir. Kashmir has been turned into a killing field where young and old are being killed with impunity daily,” he said.
He accused New Delhi of using its military and police might to unleash “ugly oppression” against Kashmiri youth who are waging a peaceful political struggle.
“Youth in peaceful movement are being subjected to torture, arrests and humiliation, leaving them with no choice but to opt for the armed mode of resistance and now the same young boys are being targeted and killed with impunity,” he said.
He said during the 2016 uprising, more than a hundred youngsters were killed, over 1,000 blinded and thousands of others injured and imprisoned.
“This genocide is still continuing as the Indian might has not succeeded in breaking the will of common Kashmiris who have decided to resist the oppression with valor and passion,” Malik said.
Stressing upon the need for early release of all Kashmiri prisoners, Malik said “civilised countries and nations don’t cage their opponents and suppress their voices and if India and its Kashmiri stooges claim to be democrats, they should open the doors of jails and let free those who have been languishing there for many years.”
He said it was a common practice for thegovernments to release prisoners before Eid.
“But PDP rulers under the influence of RSS Hindu fanaticism, instead of releasing inmates, are actually trying to arrest and house-arrest more people and fill jails and police stations which is highly condemnable,” Malik said.
Malik was given a rousing farewell by people in Chara-e-Sharif town.
“Thousands of people, especially the youth, enthusiastically gathered around Yasin sahib and took him on their shoulders and raised passionate slogans in favor of freedom and unity,” the JKLF spokesman said.