Putting voices of dissent in jails and claiming democracy are two opposite things and those crushing voices of dissent by army, forces and police might have no right to call themselves as champions of democracy. Thousands of Kashmiri inmates are facing Indian wrath in jails and incarcerations centers which is highly condemnable. This was stated by the chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik while leading a protest rally at Abi Guzar Srinagar on Wednesday.According to a statement issued to GNS, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik has called for protest against the plight of Kashmiri inmates languishing in jails and expressing solidarity with Dr Qasim Faktoo who has completed 26 years in jails.JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik along with many JRL leaders and activists were arrested during the protest rally near press enclave, the statement said adding that they have been lodged at Kothi Bagh police station.Holding placards depicting photographs of Dr Qasim Faktoo who recently completed 26 years in jail and slogans against the “torture and torment” against Kashmiri inmates in various jails of State and outside, the protesters led by JKLF chairman marched towards Lal Chowk but were intercepted by police near press enclave.Prior to his arrest, Malik addressed people at Abi Guzar Masjid and talked to media persons.He said today’s protest was organized by JRL and its main purpose is to highlight the miseries the Kashmiri inmates are suffering and also to express solidarity with Dr Qasim Faktoo who has been in jail for 26 years.“Dr Qasim has been in jail from three decades now and Indian rulers who claim to be champions of democracy and freedom of speech have chosen to suppress his voice by putting him in jail,” Malik said adding that “today whole Kashmiri nation is paying gratitude to Dr Qasim and others for facing Indian oppression with braveness and dedication”.
“Indian rulers and their abettors in Kashmir have always used black laws like PSA and agencies like NIA, ED etc to incarcerate more and more Kashmiris, shift them to jails that are thousands of miles away from their families hence inflicting more miseries to them and their families,” he said.Malik said since 2017, NIA and ED have arrested dozens of Kashmiris on “concocted” charges and lodged them at Tihar and other Indian jails.“Shabir Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Peer Saifullah, Ayaz Akbar, Meraj-ud-Din Kalwal, Farooq Ahmad Dar @ Bitta Karatay, Naeem Ahmad Khan, Zahoor Ahmad Watali, Asiya Andrabi, Fahmida Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Shahid Yosuf, Syed Shakeel Ahmad, Muzaffar Ahmad Dar, Ghulam Muhammad Butt, Aslam Wani and others are facing hardships at Tihar Jail while as lifers Ghulam Qadir Butt, Dr Shafi Shariatee, Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, Muhammad Ayoub Dar, Muhammad Ayoub Mir, Showkat Ahmad Khan, Abdul Gani Goni, Lateef Ahmad Waja, Javed Ahmad Khan, Mehmood Topi Wala, Nisar Mirza, Feroz Ahmad, Parvaiz Ahmad, Ali Muhammad Butt, Sheikh Imran , Noushad Ali, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, Ghulam Nabi Najar, Abdul Waheed Malik, Muhammad Abbas, Barkat Ali Khan are also facing ordeal in different jails,” he said.JKLF chairman said that a Kashmiri Muzafar Ahmad Rather is facing death sentence in Bengal jail while as Muslim league chairman Masrat Alam has been slapped with 35 PSAs continuously from 2010.He said there are dozens of young boys who have been put behind bars on “concocted” charges in DySp lynching case and no one is paying any heed to their pleas. “Today through our peaceful protest, we want to convey to the international community to wake up from its deep slumber and do its duty of safeguarding humanity in Kashmir,” Malik said and appealed ICRC to take cognizance of the plight of Kashmiri inmates and use its good offices to safeguard these inmates. (GNS)