On Pak Day eve, JK Govt ‘Besieges’ Resistance Camp

In a first move its kind, the J&K government has barred Kashmir’s resistance leadership from attending the Pakistan National Day function in New Delhi on Thursday. While chiefs of both factions of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have been placed under house arrest, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in Central Jail Srinagar. And while senior resistance leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has been confined to his house, the National Front chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan was detained at Srinagar airport on Wednesday when he was about to board a flight to New Delhi to participate in the official function (on Pakistan’s National Day) at Pakistan embassy in New Delhi. The Hurriyat Conference (M) spokesman Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam was also placed under house arrest minutes after he was planning to leave for Srinagar airport, sources said.
Majority of Hurriyat leaders asserted that it is for the first time that the J&K government “in league with its police” prevented the entire resistance leadership from attending the Pakistan’s National Day function in New Delhi.
According to sources, more than 35 leaders and activists of various pro-freedom groups have either been placed under house arrest or are lodged in various police stations. Sources in the pro-freedom camp said every year at least 60 top, middle and lower-rung resistance leaders get an invitation from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to participate in the official function which is followed by dinner.
Talking to Kashmir Post, Mirwaiz said as far as he remembers, it is for the first time that the entire pro-freedom camp is facing a crackdown on the eve of Pakistan National Day.
“Such repressive measures are senseless, to say the least. These only aggravate the situation and lead to further hardening of positions,” he said. “The reality that Pakistan is a party to Kashmir issue will not alter by barring us from attending a function; nor will Pakistan’s diplomatic and moral support to our political aspirations stop this way.”
Shabir Ahmed Shah said whenever he tried to attend the Pakistan Day function, he was prevented. “Even when I managed to reach Delhi, I was taken into custody there,” he said. He said Pakistan is a party to the Kashmir issue and its support on moral and diplomatic fronts has always encouraged Kashmiris to seek a just resolution of the issue.
Hurriyat Conference (G) leader Muhammad Altaf Shah said the step is aimed to “choke space for us.”
“Such occasions would give us an opportunity to discus or exchange ideas. Our passports already stand cancelled and our chances of discussing ideas at the international foras are impossible. The move indicates that everything in Kashmir takes places on New Delhi’s dictation,” Shah said. “The move to choke Hurriyat leaders deserves all condemnation.”
Hurriyat Conference (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said the state’s decision to stop resistance leaders is “nothing but frustration.”
“On one hand, the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi claim that they believe in democracy and in the institution of dialogue, but on the other, all the tall claims fall flat when they place the entire resistance leadership under detention and don’t allow them to be a part of Pakistan Day celebrations,” said Akbar, who has also been placed under house detention.
Hurriyat Conference (M) leader Engineer Hilal Ahmad War while slamming the J&K government’s decision to stop Hurriyat leaders from attending Pakistan Day, said it is an “ill-conceived move.”
“On these occasions, Hurriyat leaders always urge Pakistan High Commissioner to take steps for a sustained dialogue with active participation of people of Kashmir for a peaceful resolution of the issue,” War said. “By disallowing us, Delhi is choking ways and means aimed at finding a peaceful settlement of the issue.”
JKLF (H) chairman Javaid Ahmed Mir, who has also received an invitation from the Pakistan High Commission, said that J&K government stands exposed by preventing pro-freedom leaders from attending an official function of Pakistan in New Delhi. “Basically, PDP-BJP government is all out to implement RSS agenda. We strongly condemn the government’s decision of confining the entire resistance leadership to homes. We are not even allowed to wish Pakistan High Commissioner, let alone exchanging ideas,” Mir said.
Meanwhile, some lower-rung pro-freedom leaders have managed to reach New Delhi to attend the official function at Pakistan Embassy on Thursday. Sources said a special team of police in civvies was deployed at Srinagar airport to ensure no prominent separatist leader manages to board a flight for New Delhi.