Srinagar, July 25, 2018 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir Chairman, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai has stressed that the unanimous demand of all the resistance leadership should only be “We Want Freedom from India”.
Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai addressing a seminar in Srinagar asked for ignoring minor issues within the ranks and coming to common terms. The event was organized by the Joint Resistance Leadership to mark the year-long detention of Hurriyat leaders in Delhi’s Tihar Jail after arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He said the need of the hour is to stay united. However, he added, the unity should not be restricted to a few organizations or a few people.
Terming the detainees in Tihar as prisoners of conscience, Sehrai said that they were the heroes of the Kashmiri people. He said that all the Kashmiri prisoners languishing in different jails of India had been detained on frivolous charges and that the Indian courts had never been able to prove any charge against them. “Never has any case been proved against them in Kashmir,” he said.
He said that such tactics were used to cow down the resistance leadership. However, he added, those at the helm should bear in mind that Kashmiris do not love anything more than freedom. The TeH chairman said the people of Kashmir have laid down lives to achieve the cherished goal of Azadi. “Our educated youth is resorting to guns and laying down their lives. They will continue to do so till India keeps trampling on the honour and dignity of Kashmiris,” he added. We do not accept any accord including of 1975. Our demand is implementation of Right to Self Determination,” Sehrai said.
Muhammad Yasin Malik said Kashmiri prisoners deserve the sympathy of the international community. “India on one hand claims to be the biggest democracy of the world but on the other hand is caging down political activists for holding a political belief. This is not a democratic approach but a dictatorial attitude,” Malik said.
The seminar was attended by various political leaders, social activists, human rights dignitaries, leaders of trade bodies, members of civil society, lawyers, kith and kin of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in various jails in and outside Jammu and Kashmir. Syed Ali Gilani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were barred from attending the seminar and were detained at their residences in Srinagar.
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