Says international community should pay heed
Srinagar: Senior pro freedom leader and president Anjuamn Shari Shian Aga Syed Hasan Almosvi Alsafvi on Monday said that India is pushing to the youth of Kashmir to wall and are forcing them to take to arms.
He said that joining of youth to militant ranks shows how New Delhi and its forces in Kashmir were “pushing youth to the wall” and leaving them with no option “but to pick up guns.”
“For the past many years, we have been impressing upon the international community and Indian civil society to persuade New Delhi to honor peaceful struggle of Kashmiri youth. But no one has paid any heed,” he said.
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“Kashmir issue would have been resolved if both India and Pakistan would have looked at this issue from the prism of humanity. But, both the countries have made it a prestige point and it has been taking toll on the people of Kashmir,” he said.
“The Government of India is responsible for pushing Kashmiri youth to the wall and promoting violence. The international community should introspect and see what’s happening in JK and persuade rulers to refrain from using force in the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aga Syed Hasan expressed grief over the demise of party senior worker Muhammad Abdullah Mir of Wata Magam and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.
The statements come in the the aftermath of the killing of three militants in a gunfight in Hakoora area of Anantnag district on Monday. One of the militants, Eesa Fazli, was a resident of Soura, Srinagar.
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Police in a statement said, “Pursuing credible leads of presence of militants, security forces started search in the Hakoora area of Anantnag district. While the search was going on the hiding militants fired upon the search party. The fire was retaliated by the security forces ensuing an encounter.”
“In the said encounter, 3 militants were killed which include Eesa Fazli of Srinagar, Syed Owais of Kokernag and a third militant whose identity is being ascertained.”
SSP Anantnag Altaf Khan said the third militant was apparently a foreigner. “His identity is being ascertained,” he told Greater Kashmir.
The gunfight, according to sources, had started around 1:15 am at Hakoora-Badsgam in Dooru area of the district. Fazili and Shafi were studying engineering at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri before joining militancy.
In the aftermath of the militant killings, Authorities have ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in Srinagar on Monday. An official said that restrictions were imposed in parts of Downtown Srinagar and Soura area.
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The university of Kashmir has also decided to suspend all classwork and postpone all scheduled exams. The varsity has also postponed the interviews of contractual lecturers which were scheduled for Monday.
Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora has also postponed all the scheduled exams. A spokesperson said that fresh dates will be notified.
The Board of School Education, in a statement also said that all exams have been postponed.
Meanwhile, high speed internet has been suspended in Srinagar and south Kashmir districts. Massive clashes were reported from Anantnag district against the killings of three militants in a gunfight with the government forces earlier today.
Reports said that youth took to streets and staged massive protests in Anantnag town and Kokernag area of the district.
(With inputs from KNS)
