Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) organized Iftaar at the Bund on Saturday.Thousands of people from all walks of life including pro-freedom leaders from both factions of Hurriyat Conference, leaders from other resistance parties, heads and Ulema from all major religious sects, galaxy of intellectuals, members of civil society, lawyers, journalists, writes, poets, doctors, engineers, businessmen, students, research scholars, teachers, trade union leaders etc participated in large numbers.According to the organizers about 1500 people were formally invited for Iftaar but the numbers exceeded many more than that and according to some cautions estimates about four thousand people were present at the Iftaar party.
Various political, religious and social leaders addressed the gathering which included JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik,APHC(M) chairman Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq, Hurriyat (G) leader Mehraj ud din Kalwal, Jamiat Ahlihadees president professor Ghulam Muhammad Butt and general secretary Doctor Abdul Lateef Alkindi, advocate Zahid Ali from Jamat I Islami , religious scholars Moulana khursheed Kanoongo, Moulana Ghulam Rasool Hami, Moulana Masroor Abbas and famous intellectual doctor sheikh Showkat etc .
The main highlight of Iftaar party was the solidarity participation of many personalities from Kashmir minorities including Pandits, Sikhs and Christians who sat along with their Muslim brethren and hailed this unity move from the organizers of this party.The participants of the party while hailing unity among pro-freedom leaders and groups said that it would benefit Kashmir cause and deter the government from carrying out its “anti-Kashmir policies such as Sainik Colony, Pandit townships and industrial policy.Addressing the gathering JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said that the main objective of JKLF hosting Iftaar parties was to bring together all the religious organizations and people from all thoughts irrespective of cast, creed and sects and send out a positive message.He said that JKLF started this campaign some six years ago and our sole purpose is to promote harmony, unity and oneness among the people of Jammu Kashmir and defeat those who want to divide us in the name of religion, casts and especially sects.
He said JLKF, and both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, would jointly fight against the anti-Kashmir policies. “We won’t shy away from sacrificing our blood if it comes to that,” he said while condemning the house arrest of ailing resistance leader Syed Ali Geelani.Malik said Geelani, who is suffering from multiple ailments, is not being allowed to perform his religious duties and the government stopped him from attending this Iftaar as well.Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq said that unity among all sections of Kashmiri society was pivotal to fight evil designs of India and its Kashmiri puppets and this Iftaar party is a beautiful description of our unity and resilience. (KNS)