Illegally detained vice Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Shabbir Ahmad Shah has expressed concern over killing and arrest of youth and harassment of women and children in the ongoing cordon and search operations by Indian troops in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Shabbir Ahmad Shah in a message from New Delhi’s Tihar jail ahead of Laylatul Qadar, observed on 27th night of Ramazan, appealed to Kashmiri Muslims to remember all martyrs in their prayers on the occasion. As a result of the sacrifices of these martyrs, he added, Kashmir issue has taken center-stage at all global platforms. He pointed out that the Kashmiri martyrs have fulfilled their responsibilities and it is now upto the people to safeguard their sacrifices through march on the path to freedom with unity, magnanimity and determination.
Peoples Democratic Party President, Mehbooba Mufti, in a tweet condemned the diktat of an Indian Army-backed school in Baramulla asking the teachers to avoid hijab. She said that Jammu and Kashmir is not like any Indian state where they bulldoze the houses of minorities and not allow them the freedom to dress as they want. National Conference vice President Omar Abdullah said that hijab is the religious obligation and nobody has a right to interfere “in our religious matters”.
Indian troops launched a cordon and search operation in Mitrigam area of Pulwama district, today. An Indian paramilitary trooper was injured in an attack on the troops participating in the operation in the area.
Body of a 16-year-old boy was found in near water canal in Kuloosa area of Bandipora district. Award-wining Indian author, Arundhati Roy, in an online interview with US St. Louis Magazine described the controversial bollywood movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ as a work of fiction and not based on facts. She said this in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions that the film is the truth and everyone must watch it. She made it clear that the film is not about Kashmiri pundits; instead it is about the Kashmiri pundits standing in for Hindus in India.—KMS