Srinagar, July 07 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, complete strike will be observed, tomorrow, to commemorate the first martyrdom anniversary of popular youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
The strike is part of a weeklong programme to pay tributes to the martyred leader, call for which has been given by the joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. They have appealed to the people to hold rallies at all district headquarters and elsewhere in the world where Kashmiris are residing.
Burhan Wani along with two associates was martyred by Indian troops in a fake encounter in Kokernag area of Islamabad district on July 8, last year. The killing triggered a mass uprising that continues till now. During the period, 156 civilian protesters have been killed, 19,456 have been injured and the eyesight of over 3,000 youth has been damaged by the pellets fired by Indian forces.
To prevent people from coming to streets, tomorrow, the authorities have deployed over 20,000 additional troops and blocked roads with concertina wires. They have also suspended mobile and Internet services. Curfew and other restrictions have been imposed particularly in central and south districts of the territory. All roads leading to Tral, the hometown of Burhan Wani, have been sealed. The town has been placed under a strict curfew to prevent a big rally scheduled in the area. The Kashmir University has postponed its examinations to be started from tomorrow.
The authorities have impounded thousands of bikes and motorbikes in Pulwama, Islamabad, Kulgam, Shopian and Srinagar districts. The move is aimed at preventing the youth from participating in rallies during the weeklong protest programmes.
All resistance leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi and Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai continue to remain in detention or under house arrest.
Meanwhile, clashes were reported between youth and Indian forces’ personnel in Islamabad town.
The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar, today said that the sacrifices of Burhan Wani and other martyrs had infused a new life in the resistance movement.
On the other hand, the occupation authorities did not allow the third consecutive Friday prayers at Kashmir’s historic Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, today. All the gates of the mosque were locked to stop thousands of devotees from offering the weekly congregational prayers.
