Amid pro-freedom protest against the innocent killings of Kashmiri civilians, Muslims in Bhaderwah area of Chenab Valley yet again observed a complete shutdown on Friday. Shops, other business establishments and private schools of Muslim community remained closed while after Friday congregational prayers, hundreds of people staged a peaceful protest condemning the ‘criminal’ silence maintained by State and Central Government against the innocent civilian killings in Kashmir Valley.The shutdown call was given by Anjuman-e-Islamia Bhaderwah in protest against the union and state government, "for not initiating any talks and maintaining a criminal silence over the sufferings of Kashmiri people since last 42 days."Eyewitnesses told CNS that large number of people from Muslim Community shortly after the culmination of Friday congregational prayers assembled outside Jamia Masjid and protested against the use of brute force and killing of innocent people in Kashmir. Witnesses added that people chanted pro-freedom slogans and expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
Earlier, President Anjuman-e-Islamia Pervaiz Ahmed Sheikh during his congregational address alleged that BJP is hell-bent to instigate communal violence in Chenab Valley and for this purpose the party is busy in organizing meetings in the Valley. He said that under a well planned conspiracy Muslims are being directed to handover licensed weapons before authorities while the government has already distributed all 25,000 weapons among Village Defence Committee members. He said that, “People of Kashmir are going through the worst, but surprisingly a criminal silence is being maintained by both Union and State government, which is further aggravating the problem and unrest is fast spreading also in Chenab Valley and other parts of Jammu province.” He said that, “We have given a call for peaceful bandh to lodge our protest , but for how long we will keep our emotions, especially those of youth in control, as both the governments instead of initiating the talks are trying to curb the unrest by killing and wounding innocent people. We are being pushed to the wall for which retaliation is bound to happen," he added saying that Government is testing “our patience and if any untoward thing happens in Chenab Valley, none but government will be responsible for that.”“Efforts are being made to sabotage the Kashmir Freedom Struggle but we want to make it clear that Muslims of Chenab Valley support and stand with the people of Kashmir and if need arises we will hit to roads to display our support for them (Kashmiri’s). (CNS)