Srinagar, March 17, 2018 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, has rejected India’s fresh offer of talks saying that it is nothing more than a tactic to buy time by New Delhi. The APHC spokesman, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the offer was made to Syed Ali Gilani by an official of Indian Intelligence Bureau on Thursday night. However, he said, the APHC Chairman declined the same, saying that until India acknowledges the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir and starts withdrawal of its troops from the occupied territory, the holding any talks carries no meaning.
Syed Ali Gilani told the IB official that the Kashmiri people had never accepted the forced control of India and they should be allowed to express their aspirations about their political future. He said that it was the responsibility of the Indian leadership to create an atmosphere conducive for talks amongst all stakeholders of the Kashmir dispute including Pakistan to settle it.
Meanwhile, body of one more youth was recovered, today, from the debris of the four houses destroyed by Indian troops in Balhama Khonmoh area of Srinagar, raising the death toll to three. Bodies of two youth, Rasiq Nabi Butt and Shabbir Ahmed, were recovered from the rubbles, yesterday.
Complete shutdown continued in Tral and Awantipora, the native areas of Rasiq Nabi Butt and Shabbir Ahmed in Pulwama district on the second consecutive day, today, to mourn their killing. Dukhtaran-e-Millat delegation led by Nahida Nasreen visited Awantipora and expressed solidarity with the family of martyred Shabbir Ahmed. Several people were injured after Indian police fired teargas shells to break up demonstrations in Balhama area, today, against the killings.
On the other hand, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Hurriyat forum, Dukhtaran-e-Millat and members of civil society of Budgam district in their statements strongly condemned the harassment of the family members of prominent resistance leader, Syed Salahuddin, by India’s National Investigation Agency.
In Geneva, Human rights activist, Ahmed Quraishi, representing the World Muslim Congress, during the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council said that India had a disturbing record of restricting civic space in occupied Kashmir. He also referred to the prominent Kashmiri human rights defender, Khurram Pervez and said that Mr Khurram was prevented at New Delhi airport from boarding a flight to attend a session of the Human Rights Council in September 2016.
Speakers at a conference held on the sidelines of the session said India stands exposed in occupied Kashmir as its forces’ personnel are involved in gross human rights violations including killings, extrajudicial executions, arrests, torture, use of brute force and lethal weapons like pellet guns on protesters, rape of women and destruction of properties. The speakers included Barrister Abdul Majeed Trumboo, Prof Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Advocate Ayoub Ahmed Rathore, Shamim Shawl, Prof Alferd De Zayas, Muhammad Ali Arkoukou, Dr Jean Ziegler, Dr Iqtidaar Cheema and Ambassador Ronald Berni.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org