Srinagar
Almost 1,200 workers from Indian occupied Kashmir, who have completed their mandatory 14-day quarantine period in various camps in the Pathankot district of Indian Punjab, have been on a hunger strike for the past three days seeking return to their homes.
The workers were stranded in Pathankot after the Indian government imposed a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Kashmir Media Service reported.
The workers had been put in quarantine in seven different camps, officials said. After their quarantine period ended, they refused to take meals, seeking evacuation to their hometowns, they added. The workers had arrived in Pathankot mainly from Rajasthan, Haryana and New Delhi but were stopped at Punjab’s border with held Kashmir due to the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the US Congressman Andre Carson sympathised with the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) who were facing difficulties in protecting themselves from coronavirus due to the draconian restrictions placed on them by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“My heart remains with the people of Kashmir during this challenging time,” said the lawmaker from the US state of Indiana. “The draconian restrictions placed upon them by PM Modi are not only taking away their basic human rights but also making it more difficult to protect against COVID-19,” said Carson. He also called for the end of the unjust restrictions placed on the occupied territory.
Earlier this month, Pakistan expressed sheer concern over the lack of medical supplies for the IOK during the coronavirus pandemic as the valley continued to face human rights violation and lockdown.
The Naib Ameer Hizbul Mujahideen Saifullah Khalid has said that whereas the whole world is facing the the coronavirus pandemic, the Kashmiri nation is fighting against the coronavirus pandemic lonely in tough circumstances but in this situation the Indian army is continuing tyrannies against the Kashmiris.
He said that in the current tough circumstances instead of the absence of weapons a small number of mujahideen are writing a new history against Indian forces bravely which is unparalleled.
He said that youth of the nation who are precious entity of the nation were presenting sacrifices yesterday and are showering their precious blood for Islam and freedom today.
This Naib Ameer Hizbul Mujahideen Saifullah Khalid said in a media statement on Sunday while presenting a rich tribute to mujahideen Shahid Manzoor, shaheed Shafaatul Islam, shaheed Adil Ahmed Thokar and shaheed Shahid Ahmed Butt who were martyred n Shopian and Kishtwar in two different clashes with Indian army.
He said that the martyrs are presenting sacrifices for nurturing the freedom movement of the Kashmiris, adding that in this era these brave youth while sacrificing their lives in the way of Almighty Allah are reviving the history.
Saifullah Khalid said that Kashmiri nation has presented hundreds and thousands of sacrifices during the last seven decades, adding that thousands of villages have been destroyed but the Kashmiri nation for securing their legitimate right from last 70 years instead of surrendering before the enemy is always standing like a rock.—KMS
