Free Yasin’ & ‘Free Khurram’ messages were flashed in Washington streets through digital advertising trucks hired by the World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF), a Washington-based advocacy group.
The electronic screens on the trucks also carry messages such as: “Khurram Parvez is not a terrorist. He is a human rights defender”, “Stop Genocide in Kashmir”, “Yasin Malik is pursuing the path of non-violence.”
Dr G.N Mir, President of WKAF, condemned the continued detention of Khurram Parvez, the Coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society by the Indian National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He reminded that Khurram Parvez was recognized as one of the 100 most influential persons of the world by US-based Time Magazine in 2022.
He appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights to intervene and help release Khurram Parvez and other Kashmiri civil society leaders from prisons across Indian jails.
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, the WKAF Secretary General, said, “Our aim is to target the policy-makers in Washington as well as the passers-by to let them know that crimes against humanity are being committed in the so-called largest democracy – India – and the Biden Administration is giving preferential treatment to India because of her commercial market & alluring business dealings.
Fai endorsed what Mushaal Mullick, the wife of Yasin Malik, has said, “They may take away his voice, they may mute his mic before the bench, and they may close his ears to debate between the lawyers. But one thing they can never steal is the twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his lips.”
Fai said for years, Khurram Parvez’s voice has been crucial in bringing light to the situation of human rights in Kashmir. “It was not the first time that Parvez was forcibly silenced. The attacks against him speak volumes of the truth he represents at a time when the world’s largest democracy is being called out for its persecution of the more than 200 million Indian Muslims.”
“We believe there has to be a process, now in Kashmir, for improving human rights abuses on the pattern of special procedures. If it was done for Sri Lanka and Rwanda, why not for Kashmir?,” Fai asked.
Dr Imtiaz Khan of George Washington University said the ultimate goal of the fascist Indian government is to eliminate Yasin Malik in the notorious Tihar jail where he is lodged.
Javaid Kausar, the main emcee of the rally thanked the participants for coming from distances despite the hot weather and possibility of a thunderstorm.
Dr. Zahid Bukhari urged the participants to get involved in educating the policy-makers about the issues, be it local, religious or international.
Dr. Zafar Iqbal Noori, President, International Peace Mission, said that Muhammad (SAW) brought the message of peace for all humanity. “We need to educate the fellow Americans the cases when Muhammad (SAW) showed kindness not only to fellow Muslims but to the Jewish community of Medina.”
Sardar Zarif Khan, Saeed Khan also addressed the event. WKAF also participated in a rally along with the American Muslim community of Washington metropolitan area, in front of Indian Embassy in Washington, DC to register a peaceful protest over the blasphemous remarks of RSS/BJP led Modi government officials against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Those who addressed the rally included Allama Ijaz Naqashbandi, Moulana Sayed Zaka Qadri, Moulana Sayed Ghulam Muhammad Qadri, Dr. Zafar Iqbal Noori, Javaid Kausar, Sardar Zarif Khan, Dr. Zahid Bukhari, Professor Imtiaz Khan, Aisha Khan and Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai.—Agencies
