Human Rights
Use of force on civilian mourners by armed forces in Shopian ‘contrary to human values’, says Mirwaiz
Srinagar: Calling the use of force on mourners during the funeral procession of slain Al Badr Commander Zeenat-ul-Islam in Shopian as “un-Islamic and undemocratic”, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday said the ‘forces action’ is ‘contrary to the human values.’
While condemning the firing on funeral of the slain militant in his native village Sugan in south Kashmir’s Shopian, Mirwaiz took to twitter and said the use of “brutal force” on the “martyr’s funeral” is “not only un-Islamic and undemocratic but contrary to the human values. “
جنوبی کشمیر میں شہیدزینت الاسلام کے جنازہ پر بھارتی فورسز کی براۓ راست فائر انگ پیلٹ اور گولیوں کے نتیجے میں خواتین سمیت درجنوں افراد شدید زخمی، شہید کے آخری رسومات پر اس طرح کی جارحانہ کاررواٸ نہ صرف غیراسلامی اورغیر جمہوری بلکہ انسانیت کے برعکس بھی جو ہر لحاظ سے قابل مذمت ہے pic.twitter.com/7XUIha4t55
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) January 13, 2019
Earlier, armed forces fired at the civilians who attempted to gather for the funeral of militant commander Zeenat-ul-Islam. At least 10 civilians were injured, with at least two being hit by bullets and two injured by pellets.
Mourners were gathering to participate in the funeral prayers of Islam at his native Sugan village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Eyewitnesses told Free Press Kashmir that the forces had sealed all roads leading to Sugan village to limit the number of people participating in the funeral of Islam.
However, mourners continued to reach the village after making their way through bylines, and crossing checkpoints though orchards and agricultural fields.
Islam was killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Katpora village of Yaripora in Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Considered as an Improvised explosive device (IED) expert, Zeenat ul Islam, a native of Shopian’s volatile Sugan area had joined militant ranks in 2015. He was now commander of Al Badr outfit.
Zeenat-ul-Islam, according to police, had a ‘long history of crime records since 2006’ when he got affiliated with Al-Badr and was later arrested. However after he was released, he again got in touch with Hizb in 2016 and recently he joined Al-Badr in Shopian.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, condemning the incident said that stopping the crowd to participate in the funeral prayer of a local militant was an interference in the religious affairs that would lead to further anger and alienation.
Mufti wrote on Twitter, that such interference in religious affairs may backfire leading to further anger. “Reports of aerial firing at Sugan Shopian to stop the crowd from participating in the funeral prayers of a local militant, are very unfortunate and disturbing,” she wrote.
