Srinagar: Chairman of Ummat e Islami Jammu Kashmir and Mirwaiz of South Kashmir, Qazi Ahmed Yasir, while condemning the use of force on Friday against the civilians, including traders in Islamabad, Saturday said that government’s ‘brutal scare tactics’ will not deter people from demanding their right to self determination.
“Clashes and protests had erupted in Islamabad town on Friday after prayers in which scores were injured and many shopkeepers were attacked. Pellets and tear gas shells were fired at traders in the town, while several godowns also burned due to fire caused by a tear gas shell fired by police,” Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said in a statement issued to KNS.
Supported by Miwaiz Qazi Yasir, the Traders Association Islamabad had called for a shutdown on Saturday.
Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that the ‘police brutality’ has reached to breaking point and must not be tolerated. “On Friday, several people called me from hospital and on my visit I found many shopkeepers had been injured in unprovoked police action. These terrorizing tools used by government against common civilians will not change the reality of Kashmir,” he said.
He also paid tributes to the militants who were killed in Sopore on Thursday and said that “the youth of Kashmir are being forced to quit their studies and pick gun.”
“Inhumane policies Indian government and its army are open now,” he said, adding that “Army chief feels proud for using civilians as human shields, showing they only want to unleash miseries upon Kashmiris. Committing grave human rights violations to suppress Kashmiris will not stop anyone but it will only force more youth to turn towards gun”.
Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that the sooner India accepts Kashmir is a disputed territory and initiates a serious tri-partite dialogue process it will be better for South Asia’s peace.
“People of Kashmir will continue to demand their right to self determination as it is their birthright. Any tactic to suppress them from doing so will only lead to more misery and bloodshed,” he added. (KNS)
