All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders have paid glowing tributes to prominent Kashmiri leader, Shaheed-e-Azeemat Sheikh Abdul Aziz, on the eve of his 15th martyrdom anniversary.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz was martyred by Indian troops on 11th August in 2008 while he was leading a procession from Srinagar to the Line of Control against the economic blockade of the Kashmir Valley by Hindu extremists of Jammu.
Illegally detained senior APHC leader, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, in his message from Tihar Jail said that Sheikh Abdul Aziz championed the Kashmir cause throughout his life and even rendered the ultimate sacrifice for this purpose. He said that the contribution and sacrifices of the martyred leader in the freedom movement were unforgettable.
APHC Vice Chairman Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar while highlighting the contribution and sacrifices of the martyred leader for the ongoing Kashmir freedom movement said that Sheikh Abdul Aziz was truly a man of honesty and integrity who devoted his entire life for the Kashmir cause. He maintained that Sheikh Aziz went through trials and tribulations for his role in the Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for right to self-determination. He said that Indian agencies had martyred over a dozen APHC leaders including Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Altaf Ahmed Shah. These dastardly acts are aimed to intimidate Kashmiris.
Jailed APHC leader Molvi Bashir Ahmed Irfani in a message from Srinagar Central Jail reaffirmed the Kashmiris’ resolve to accomplish the mission of their martyrs at all costs. He said Sheikh Aziz was a visionary political leader who faced bullets on his chest instead of surrendering before the Indian military might. He also condemned the continued unlawful detention of Hurriyat leaders and activists.
APHC leaders Farida Bahenji, Junaidul Islam, Peer Attauallah Shah, Chaudhry Shaheen Iqbal and other leaders and organizations in their statements said that the martyrdom of Sheikh Aziz gave a new spark to the Kashmiris’ ongoing movement for the right to self-determination. They said that the Kashmiri people would not allow the sacrifices of their martyrs to go in vain and would accomplish their mission, come what may. They said that the best tribute to Sheikh Aziz and other Kashmiri martyrs is to carry forward the sacred cause for which they have laid down their lives. They described Sheikh Aziz as a bold, brave and sincere leader and said that he preferred martyrdom but never bowed before oppressor India.
The APHC leaders said hundreds of pro-freedom leaders including Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasyia Andrabi and Nayeem Ahmed Khan are rotting in Indian jails. The lives of these leaders are in danger and the international community must come forward to save their lives.
Meanwhile, APHC-AJK chapter leaders including its convener Mehmood Ahmad Saghar, Sheikh Abdul Mateen, Syed Yousuf Naseem, Shaikh Yaqoob, Imtiyaz Wani and Syed Aijaz Rehmani in their statements issued in Islamabad said Sheikh Abdul Aziz was a determined, confident, steadfast and dedicated leader who will continue to inspire the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for the freedom of their motherland from Indian subjugation. They said that the long services of Sheikh Aziz would be remembered in history with golden words.—KMS
