Rising Kashmir News – Rising Kashmir Daily English Newspaper (press release)

Arrests, torture meant to divert attention from killings in Kashmir

Two Hurriyat factions and JKLF leaders Saturday staged a joint sit-in protest here at Maisuma against the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) for arresting their leaders.

A joint Hurriyat statement issued later said the leaders and activists who participated in the protest included Noor Muhammad Kalwal of JKLF, Meraj Ud din Rabbani of Hurriyat (G) Muhammad Yaqoob Masoodi of APHC (M), Hilal Ahmad war, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Siraj ud din Mir, Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi, Zahoor Ahmad Butt, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Ghulam Qadir Baigh, Syed Imtiyaz Hiader, Advocate Yasir Dalal, Farooq Ahmad Sodagar, Muhammad Shafi Khan, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Muhammad Sideeq Shah, Professor Javed, Gazi Javed, Imran Ahmad Butt, Muhammad Haneef, Sajad Ahmad Butt, Muhammad Rafiq Owaisee, Mudasir Nadwi, ,Showkat Ahmad Dar Mushtaq Ahmad Dar and Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah. Statement said many other people from varied walks of life also marched towards Budshah Chowk and later sat on a peaceful sit-in there. Terming NIA and ED arrests, torturing and prolonging the incarceration of jailed leaders including Shabir Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Shahid ul Islam, Akbar Ayaz, Peer Saifullah, Raja Meraj ud din Kalwal, Naeem Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar, and Devendar Singh Bhel as a ploy to deviate attention of people from ongoing genocide of Kashmiris and demonize and defame Kashmiri resistance and leadership, the leaders said that on one hand killings of innocents is continuing unabated and on the other hand arbitrary arrests , false and concocted media trial of resistance leadership and other oppressive measures continue without any break. The oppressive ploy and deceitful tactics played through NIA are only meant to hide Indian oppression and divert attention of the international community and Indian people from ongoing innocent killings and genocide of Kashmiris, statement quoting the protesting said.

Statement quoting Hurriyat leaders said that NIA and ED is being used as a tool of oppression against resistance leadership and through intimidations, harassment, torture, fictitious cases and continued media trial, Indian rulers and the local government dream to defeat Kashmiri resistance and put leadership into submission. We want to convey to Indian rulers and the local government that these oppressive measures and deceitful tactics will yield them nothing but shame. Kashmiris have and are rendering valuable sacrifices for their self determination and tactics like these can never break the will and valor of our nation, statement quoting Hurriyat leaders said, adding: Rhrough NIA and ED arrests, rulers are also dreaming to defame and demonize Kashmiri resistance leadership and hence gag the genuine voices of Kashmiri nation.

Besides arresting resistance leadership, the rulers have also turned whole Kashmir into a big prison. Nocturnal raids, arresting innocent young and old and prolonging the incarceration of these thousands languishing in jails and police stations have become an order of the day which is highly undemocratic and unethical, Statement quoting the Hurriyat leaders in joint protest said, adding: History bears a witness to the fact that killings, incarcerating people and unleashing oppression have never succeeded in breaking the will of a people who have resolved to strive for their right to self determination and the oppressive tactics employed by the Indian rulers and the local government is also bound to fail.

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Rising Kashmir News - Rising Kashmir Daily English Newspaper (press release)