Chairman Hurriyat (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who continues to be under house arrest strongly condemned the ruling regime for once again imposing strict curfew and sealing the Jamia Masjid for the seventeenth week in a row, disallowing people from offering congregational Friday prayers there.Expressing dismay Mirwaiz said that the ruling class has reached a point in their indifference to the people their culture and religion ,that locking Jamia Masjid and preventing people from offering Friday prayers doesn't seem to register on their hearts and minds any more. They have become stone hearted ,irredeemable. Mirwaiz said the total apathy of the rulers towards the ruled reflects a very grim and disturbing situation that people are face to face with.Mirwaiz said the ruling regime is duty bound to hold itself accountable for protecting the people and be responsive and respectful of their religious sentiments as it is these very people they claim who have elected them and whom they represent.
Appealing to the Islamic countries, the United Nations, and international human rights bodies to help stop violations of religious rights of the people of Kashmir, the APHC Chairman urged them to play a role in the resolution of the vexed Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people.A delegation of Hurriyat leaders including senior Hurriyat leaders Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi and Hilal Ahmad visited Jenab Sahab Soura shrine and offered Friday congregational prayers there.Adressing the public gathering amid pro-Azadi and pro-Islam slogans the leaders denounced the sealing of Jamia Masjid Srinagar, disallowing of Fridaycongregational prayers at the mosque for 17 consecutive weeks, arrest and house arrest of the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq and other resistance leaders, desecration of Jenab Sahab shrine, and brutal state terrorism unleashed by the government forces on the civilian population.
Meanwhile, dismissing the statement of Indian Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar that Kashmir is an integral part of India, APHC spokesman said Kashmir is an internationally acknowledged dispute pending resolution since 1947 and history and political situation in Kashmir was witness that Kashmiris have never considered themselves and their territory to be a part of India . The fact that around 7 lakh troops, paramilitary forces and police force are needed on the ground by India to hold on to the territory amply proves the point. The human rights violations and killings that they indulge in as Kashmiris continue to carry forward their struggle for self determination offering selfless sacrifices of their lives and livelihood.
The spokesman said the ongoing resistance movement of Kashmir would continue till people get their right to self determination and condemned the government for sabotaging the unified resistance leadership’s programmes and peaceful protest demonstrations and marches with brutal and oppressive tactics.Expressing concern over the condition of thousands of youth arrested during the past four months in jails, the APHC spokesman said the government was dealing with these political prisoners in violation of all human and legal of Conventions, which was highly deplorable.