Welcoming the recent statement of United Nations Human Rights Council Chief Michelle Bachelet that there was no action on the UN report depicting rights situation in Kashmir by New Delhi, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said it has been a long pending demand of the people of Kashmir that the world forum wakes up to take notice of the “grave human rights situation” in Kashmir.Mirwaiz in a statement issued to GNS expressed his gratitude over the remarks of newly elected UNHRC chief, on Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz expressed his deep anguish over the Govt of India's response to the statement made by the UNHRC chief on Kashmir.“By outrightly rejecting the reports of UNHRC and before that of Amnesty International, and OIC on Kashmir, the Govt of India stands exposed and the country’s claim of upholding human rights and values also stand punctured,” he said.“It seems that GoI is not learning any lessons from its mistakes committed since 1947 and continues to remain in a denial mode,” Mirwaiz said, adding, “GoI is wasting its time, energy and resources. The fact remains that today it’s the fourth generation of Kashmiri people who are on streets demanding their birthright, something the world has already started to acknowledge.”
APHC (M) chairman said that Kashmir is among the world’s highest militarized zones and peace won’t prevail till New Delhi announces measures towards resolution of this issue.“It can start with demilitarization, repealing black laws like AFSPA, PSA, DAA, and dismantling watch towers and removing bunkers from the civilian population areas,” he said, adding, “Instead of decreasing the footprints of forces, more reinforcements are being sent to Kashmir from various parts of India only to muzzle the voices of people through military might.”Mirwaiz said all elections announced for J&K including local bodies elections and panchayat polls are “nothing but a farce and a move to dilute the basic nature of Kashmir dispute”. He said people of Kashmir and leadership have already rejected these polls. “The people of Kashmir are not interested in any of the elections be it assembly, parliament, municipal or panchayat,” he said.“There is only one solution and one slogan: ‘No election, only self-determination’ coined by the Joint Resistance Leadership same slogan will be used on all media campaigns as well as on social media to launch an election boycott campaign soon,” Mirwaiz said.Meanwhile, after Friday prayers outside Jamia Masjid, a peaceful rally was organized by APHC (M) and AAC activists to protest the killings of political workers, Hurriyat activists and youth by “unidentified gunmen”, the protestors carrying placards were demanding an end to these target killings.Meanwhile, Mirwaiz expressed deep grief over the death of more than 15 people and injuries to over 20 passengers in a road accident at Kishtwar.He expressed solidarity with the families of those who died in the tragic accident, and prayed for the speedy recovery of all the injured. (GNS)