Police on Wednesday foiled a sit-in protest programme of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) in Lal Chowk by detained Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik in Abi Guzar locality of summer capital Srinagar.According to news agency GNS, Mirwaiz arrived at JKLF office in Abi Guzar today where Malik was already present. Both the leaders then offered prayers in nearby mosque where veteran resistance leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed the people telephonically. The Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik addressed a press conference outside JKLF office and denounced “forces’ atrocities” on common people during anti-militancy operations in South Kashmir.Mirwaiz told reporters that the common people, mostly youth, are being subjected to “worst atrocities” by government forces in four districts of south Kashmir. He demanded an end to the “on-going reign of terror unleashed by forces during military operations” in south Kashmir. The Mirwaiz said that the south Kashmir has been turned into a military garrison and the presence of army is being increased.
On the occasion, the Hurriyat (M) chairman said that the Kashmiri prisoners in State and outside jails are being deprived of all rights guaranteed to them. He said that ill-treatment is being meted out to them. “The prisoners too have rights under Geneva Convention, ICRC and humanitarian laws,” he said and expressed dismay over the silence of local and international rights’ bodies over the plight of prisoners of Kashmir.Mirwaiz announced that to express solidarity with the prisoners, a shutdown has been called by JRL on November 27. He said that the shutdown would have been called much earlier but due to ongoing 10th and 12th examinations, they deferred it and choose 27 as date of shutdown. The JKLF chief on the occasion slammed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for reportedly calling people of Kashmir as beggars and said: “Even Kuka Parray, who killed hundreds of Kashmiris, did not use such insulting language against us. She is speaking RSS language.”
The leaders announced that the JRL would hold a sit-in protest at Ghanta Ghar Lal Chowk to protest the plight of prisoners and atrocities in south Kashmir. However, as the resistance leaders and activists started marching towards Ghanta Ghar, a large contingent of police arrived on the spot and stopped them from marching ahead. Police detained Mirwaiz, Malik and other activists and foiled the march.Others who were detained include Ghulam Nabi Zaki, Mukhtar Ahmed Sofi, Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Mohammad Yasin Butt, Hilal Ahmed War, Mohammad Yasin Ataee, Zahoor Ahmed Butt, Muhammad Sideeq Shah, Farooq Ahmad Sodagar, Nisar hussain rather, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Rameez Raja, Syed Imtiyaz Haider, Muhammad Ashraf Changa, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Zahoor Ahmad, Meraj ud din Paray, Farooq Ahmad sheikh, Umer Aadil Dar, Shahid ur Rehman. (GNS)