Indian troops martyr 6 more innocent Kashmiris : Curfew in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Islamabad

Srinagar, June 29 (Writer-South Asia): In dispted state of Kashmir, the authorities imposed curfew in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla and Islamabad, today, to prevent people from holding demonstrations against the killing of innocent youth by Indian troops.

Call for holding the demonstrations had been given by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

On the call of the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, complete strike was observed in the Kashmir Valley, which will continue tomorrow. The authorities, today, had deployed large contingents of Indian police and troops in all major cities and towns of the occupied territory. The authorities had suspended the mobile phone services in north Kashmir and SMS services in the entire Valley, depriving people from getting information about the situation in different parts of the occupied territory.

Despite restrictions, people took to the streets in Qamarwari, Barzulla, Omarabad and Lawaypora areas of Srinagar and staged peaceful demonstrations. Defying curfew restrictions, people staged demonstrations in Sopore. Forceful anti-India demonstrations were held in Handwara, Kupwara, Lolab, Lalpora, Badgam, Pulwama, Pampore, wantipora, Tral, Islamabad and Baramulla areas, where Indian troops subjected the protesters to brute force, injuring several of them. A 13-year-old boy was critically injured when the troops fired upon a procession in Islamabad town.

On the other hand, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi continued to remain under house arrest for the second consecutive day, today. Other Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Yasmeen Raja and Javed Ahmed Mir have been lodged at different police stations and jails.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Gh. Nabi Fai, Sheikh Yaqoob, 11th August Foundaion, NGO Federation of Kashmir, Human Rights Watch, Kashmir Amnest, Professor Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani and Mahaz-e-Azadi, in their separate statements strongly condemned the killing of innocent youth in unprovoked firing of Indian troops on peaceful protestors.

APHC leader, Ghulam Ahmed Mir addressing a protest rally at Thannamandi in Rajouri deplored that Indian troops were engaged in genocide of Kashmiri people in the disputed territory.

Indian troops, in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred six more innocent Kashmir youth in Nowgam area of Kupwara. Earlier, three Indian troops were killed in an attack in the same area. (Writer-South Asia)

Indian troops martyr five more innocent Kashmiri youth

Srinagar, June 28 (Writer-South Asia): In disputed Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred five more innocent Kashmir youth in Kupwara district, today, evening.

Troops during violent military operations killed five youth in Nowgam area of the district. Earlier, three Indian troops were killed in an attack in the same area.

Kashmir, a massive march will be conducted towards Sopore town, tomorrow, to protest against the killing of four innocent youth by Indian troops.

Call for the march has been given by the front ranking freedom organisation APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani. It has been supported by the High Court Bar Association and other pro-movement leaders and organisations.

The APHC in an extraordinary meeting of its Executive Committee and General Council, chaired by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in Srinagar, today, discussed in detail the latest situation of the disputed territory. A statement issued after the meeting appealed to the people to express solidarity with the Kashmiri martyrs’ mission by massively participating in the march, tomorrow.

On the other hand, curfew continued to remain imposed in Sopore town, for the third consecutive day, today. Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary troopers had been deployed in various localities of the town and the armoured vehicles and troopers were seen patrolling the deserted streets. Protest strike was observed in Baramulla town, as well. The authorities booked Hurriyet leaders, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Mohammad Ayaz Akbar under draconian law, Public Safety Act.

A constable of Indian police committed suicide by consuming poisonous substances in Bemina area of Srinagar, raising the number of such deaths amongst Indian troops and police personnel in the occupied territory to 185 since January 2007.

In Toronto, on the occasion of G-20 Meet, Kashmiris and their sympathisers held a mammoth rally to protest against the gross human rights violations by Indian troops in disputed Kashmir. A resolution passed at the end of the rally urged the G20 nations to impress upon India to stop human right abuses, honour the rights of the Kashmiri people, release political prisoners, repeal black laws and withdraw its troops from disputed Kashmir.

Kashmir, complete strike was observed, today, on the first day of the 10-day programme to protest against the killing of innocent Kashmiris by Indian troops and the arrest of Hurriyet leaders.

Call for the strike had been given by the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani. All shops, business establishments, public and private offices, banks and courts remained closed while traffic was off the road.

Earlier, leader of the forum, Masarrat Aalam Butt, announcing the 10-day protest programme before the media men in Srinagar, said that initially people would hold Quit Kashmir Campaign as a part of the protest programme.

Giving further details, he said that special prayers would be offered on Saturday and graffiti on walls and Internet on Sunday. “The people are requested to write Go India Go on any space available to them on walls, internet or other medium,” he said.

Masarrat Aalam Butt said that male students would wear black armbands and stage protests in the premises of their educational institutes on Monday and female students would protest in the same way on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he said, peaceful demonstrations would be held in mosques at night from Maghrib to Esha prayers.

He said that on Thursday, July 01, Kashmiri women would march towards Pather Masjid in the old city area of Srinagar. Masarrat Aalam Butt maintained that on July 02 and 03 there would be complete shutdown. He appealed the people to observe complete strike on July 09 and 10. He also announced a march towards Eidgah in Srinagar on July 13, the Martyrs’ Day.

Kashmiris not to forget Son of East’s sacrifice: Dr. G.N Fai

Washington: 29 June 2010 :Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, the Executive Director of Kashmir Centre Washington has paid homage to martyred APHC leader, Gazi Sheikh Abdul Aziz for his devotion in unflagging pursuit of a just and noble cause.


According to Writer-South Asia, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, in a statement issued in Washington in connection with the 2nd martyrdom anniversary of Gazi Sheikh Abdul Aziz, reiterated to continue the mission of the martyrs till its logical end.

Dr Fai said that the martyred leader was imprisoned scores of times for the sole crime of speaking the truth, never compromising his principles and calling for justice. His efforts will remain forever a milestone in the history of the freedom struggle of Kashmir, he maintained.

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai said that the people of Kashmir would never forget the selfless contribution and the tireless efforts of Son of East.

The Executive Director stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute without further delay as it caused immense hardships to the people of South Asia in general and the people of Kashmir in particular. Kashmiris have been subjected to the worst kind of barbarous and inhuman treatment.

India should take steps to resolve the Kashmir dispute according to the aspirations of the people, he added. (Writer-South Asia)

F-16s can be used against any adversary: PAF chief

By Iftikhar A. Khan

Islamabad, 28 Jun, 2010 :SHAHBAZ AIR BASE (Jacobabad): The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, has said there is no restriction on the use of newly-acquired F-16 combat aircraft against any adversary.

“Our mission is to maintain peace in the region with honour, but if the primary effort fails we will use all our assets, including these aircraft, to defend our country against any internal or external threats,” he said.

The air chief was talking to reporters at the newly upgraded Shahbaz Air Base on Sunday after a ceremony held to mark the formal induction of the first three of 18 advanced F-16 fighter jets into the PAF fleet.

The aircraft have been purchased from the United States for $1.4 billion. The ceremony was attended by Chief of Staff of US Air Force Gen Norton A. Schwartz, US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson, US Air Forces’ Central Command chief Gen Mike Hostage and US Defence Representative to Pakistan Vice Admiral Michael A. LeFever. Answering a question, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar said the acquisition of the hi-tech falcons would neither spark an arms race nor disturb the balance of power in the region. It would be the other way round, he said, adding that the induction would restore the balance of power as the neighbours already had hi-tech aircraft in their inventory.

Earlier addressing the ceremony, he said the PAF had decided to induct the state-of-the-art aircraft with night precision attack capability in 2006 but the contract became controversial in both the countries from the very beginning, with critics (in the United States) questioning the decision and saying that F-16s would have no role in the fight against terrorism and cynics (at home) also challenged the wisdom of a contract with the US, because of past experience.

He said that Pakistan and the US were allies in the war against terror and trust between the two countries was an essential element required to achieve success in the war. He noted that delivery of the aircraft was the beginning of a process to develop the trust.

“The issue of trust between the two countries would take some time to be established fully, but the ceremony was an important step in that direction,” he said.

He said the new F-16s would provide the PAF all-weather day and night precision attack capability, adding a new dimension to the PAF potential. He said that operationalising capabilities of the new aircraft and mastering their technology was a challenge for the PAF, but expressed the confidence that it would be done in weeks and months.

He said that Shahbaz Airbase had been developed into a modern base capable of handling the most modern fighter aircraft in the world in less than one year. Completion of this task in a record time, he said, reflected the spirit of PAF.

US Air Chief General Norton Schawrtz said the event was symbolic and a tangible demonstration of the US commitment to stand by Pakistan in the long run as an important ally.

“Pakistan’s new F-16s will give PAF pilots and Pakistan’s military an unprecedented advantage against extremist groups who threaten Pakistan and the region by enabling precision targeting in all-weather conditions, during both day and night, while reducing potential for collateral damage,” Gen Schawrtz said.

“The aircraft will also enable increased tactical inter-operability between the PAF, the US Air Force and Isaf coalition air forces – greatly bolstering our ability to jointly communicate, coordinate and work together to achieve common goals while boosting the PAF’s status as a world-class air force.”

US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson said the ceremony was a manifestation of deep and broad strategic partnership between the two countries.

She referred to the useful discussion in a number of areas during the strategic dialogue and said the US was committed to a long-term partnership with an old ally.

She said both the countries were working together to make the region and the world peaceful and secure.