Mirwaiz, Malik pitches for unity among pro-freedom leaders

Urges people to remember sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs

The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday said he is making efforts at the party level to achieve the goal of unity among pro-freedom leadership, even as he urged people to remain steadfast in carrying forward the ‘mission of Kashmir martyrs.’
Addressing a seminar ‘ShuhadaKaKhoonZulm-u-TashadudPey Bari Hai– EkMusalimahHakeekat” under ‘Hafta-e-Shahadat’ programme of his party, he said: “Unity among us has foiled the designs of oppressors in the past. We will unite and fight again. Unity is the need of the hour.”
Mirwaiz said Kashmir issue is related to people’s aspirations and emotions. “In the past, unity among people foiled the designs of the oppressors to crush our legitimate movement and I hope people would also fight such attempts in unison in future as well.”
The senior pro-freedom leader said if anyone takes one step towards them, they would take 10 steps forward. “At the same time, politics of force and pressure is not acceptable to us,” he said, adding, “Every step is being taken to suppress the freedom loving people of Kashmir. We will not bow and will take the freedom struggle to its logical conclusion.”
The Hurriyat (M) chairman said unity among the pro-freedom leadership is the need of the hour. “The ongoing resistance movement must be taken forward by developing a consensus on strategy to carry forward the movement,” he said.
Without naming the PDP-BJP government, Mirwaiz said “people in power in Srinagar and New Delhi are using all possible tactics and propaganda to break the resolve of Kashmiris.”
In the name of Pandit and Sainik colonies, “these people are trying to damage the disputed character of Jammu and Kashmir and weaken Kashmiris economically and politically by executing these plans”, he said.
“We won’t allow this to happen at any cost,” he said.
He said Kashmir’s resistance struggle is legitimate, and suppression, aggression, curbs, detentions and killings or human rights violations would not stop people of Kashmir from carrying forward their struggle.
He said the struggle of Kashmiris is “based on just principles” and people have offered innumerable sacrifices of life and property for the cause of freedom. He called upon the entire Kashmiri nation to keep these sacrifices in mind and show steadfastness and consistency in carrying the ongoing resistance movement forward.
Appealing people to make the Hurriyat’s May 21 public rally at Martyrs’ Graveyard at Eidgah a success, the Mirwaiz said there would be complete shutdown in entire Kashmir on this day and that people of Kashmir will take a pledge to take the mission of martyrs to its logical conclusion.
Paying rich tributes to Shaheed-e-Millat, Shaheed-e-Hurriyat, Martyrs of Hawal and other martyrs of Kashmir, Mirwaiz said these martyrs had given ultimate sacrifice of their lives for the great cause and have thus put enormous responsibility on our shoulders. He said the aim of observing Haftaa-e-Shahadat was to remember their sacrifices and fulfill the responsibilities.
He said under a well-designed conspiracy, some agencies are “promoting a particular thought” to divide people on sectarian lines and damage the centuries-old mutual brotherhood, harmony and approach of co-existence among various communities in Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Stating that situation in Jammu and Kashmir is like that of 1995, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik on Tuesday urged pro-freedom leadership to get united and ‘fight the challenges.’

Malik was speaking at a seminar organized by Hurriyat Conference (M) to pay tributes to MirwaizMoulvi Farooq, Abdul Gani Lone, martyrs of Hawal and other martyrs of Kashmir. He was guest of honor on the occasion.

“The situation is similar to that of 1995. We are being threatened and humiliated by a mere policeman,” he said. “I, GeelaniSahab, Lone Sahab and other pro-freedom leaders have faced same situation in 1995.”

The JKLF chairman said that everybody is intimidated and threatened in Kashmir and other parts of India since NarendraModi came to power.

“Muslims, Christians, Dalits, writers, artists and other people are being threatened day in and day out in entire India and Kashmir,” he said, adding: “Here we are being humiliated on roadside. We are being taken to jail frequently since PDP-BJP government came into power in J&K.”

The senior pro-freedom leader said the mainstream politicians are scared of separatist leadership. “Those who were office boys in pro-freedom offices are now MLAs and Ministers in government,” he said and appealed people not to be scared of them.

“We will fight against issues like setting up of Sainik Colonies and Pandit townships, however, there is urgent need for pro-freedom leadership to get united. We have to unite at any cost to fight the challenges together,” he said.

Malik said contribution of late Mirwaiz and Lone in the current struggle cannot be underestimated. “Besides the contribution on religious front, late Mirwaiz did a lot on political front as well,” he said, adding that late Lone was brave and “taught me politics. He used to love me more than his children.”

He said in 1995, he, Lone and Geelani visited scores of areas of Kashmir. “Those days nobody was willing to accommodate us,” he said, adding that now thousands participate in the public meetings of pro-freedom leaders.

“People are with us and we will take the struggle to its logical end. Do not bother about anybody who enters mainstream.”

He said the way government was using all tactics of ‘oppression and suppression’ to get the people of Kashmir on their knees could only be countered by ‘displaying complete unity among ourselves and steadfastness towards the cause.’

The JKLF chairman said there is no scope for talks. “In Delhi nobody talks. We do not see any such activity. Tripartite talks are the only solution,” he said.