In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference has paid rich tribute to prominent martyred Hurriyat leaders, Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone, on the eve of their martyrdom anniversaries.
Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his residence in Srinagar on 21st May in 1990. On the same day, over 70 mourners were killed when Indian troops opened indiscriminate fire on his funeral procession in Hawal area of Srinagar. Twelve years later on May 21 in 2002, unknown attackers had shot dead Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone when he was returning after addressing a gathering at the Martyrs’ Grave-yard in Srinagar.
The APHC Vice Chairman, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, in a statement issued in Srinagar said, Mir-waiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone and other martyrs of the freedom movement are the heroes of Kashmiri people. He said the Kashmiris on the martyrdom anniversaries of these leaders vow to accomplish the mission of their martyrs at all costs.
The APHC leader said that these noble souls sacrificed their lives for a great and sacred cause of freedom. He said, they were torch-bearers of freedom movement, and their struggle, teachings and sacrifices are role models for the future generations of Kashmir.
Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar said besides a visionary leader, Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq was a great Islamic scholar, orator and preacher who through his powerful and soul stirring sermons edu-cated and organized oppressed Kashmiris to raise their voice against the Indian oppression. He said Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone was a prudent and out-spoken leader who advocated peaceful existence between India and Pakistan. He said, this brave, courageous, fearless and heedful leader sacrificed his life for his belief in peaceful and pro-people resolution of Kashmir dispute. He appealed to the Kashmiris to held special prayers and pay homage to the departed souls.
The APHC Vice Chairman said, the assassina-tion of these leaders was followed by the killing of many prominent scholars, intellectuals, human rights defenders, academics and social workers. The custodial deaths of iconic leader Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Altaf Ahmed Shah are the recent examples of Indian brutality, he added.
Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar said India under a well-planned conspiracy is eliminating pro-freedom leaders to render the ongoing Kashmir freedom movement leaderless. He said that almost all APHC leaders are languishing and rotting in jails in inhuman conditions. He said most of these leaders including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Milk and Aasiya Andrabi have been kept in death cells without any medical care and other basic facilities. He appealed to the UN, International Committee of Red Cross and other human rights bodies to come forward to save the lives of these Kashmiri political prisoners.—KMS
