Gloomy situation prevails in IOK on 140th day
Srinagar, December 22 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani has said that India’s position with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is merely that of an occupier and oppressor of which the UN resolutions remain an obvious proof.
Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the people of Kashmir had tried every possible way to secure their legitimate and internationally-recognised right to self-determination, but the 1987 elections had proved that India’s commitment to democracy was nothing more than a charade and a ruthless tyrant State behind the mask of democracy.
The APHC Chairman exposing India’s plan to deprive the people of occupied Kashmir of their land said while the Indian army is already in possession of hundreds of thousands of acres of land, now more land would be grabbed and colonies would come up on them where non-state subjects and soldiers would be settled. He maintained that these non-state residents would have the full protection and backing of Indian army and they would act as foot soldiers for India to further its interests in Kashmir. He further said that in the name of the so-called reconstruction and development, education, medical institutions and business, more land would be allotted and handed over to Indian institutions thus depriving the Kashmiri people of their natural resources. He said it is, therefore, imperative for the people to resist India’s designs as their today’s resistance is the harbinger of their freedom tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the night temperatures across occupied Kashmir and Ladakh dropped to freezing levels amid the gloomy situation as a result of military siege and lockdown continues to prevail in the Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu region on 140th consecutive day, today. Restrictions under Section 144 remain in place while prepaid mobile phone, text messaging and internet services continue to be snapped. The ban on Internet has dealt a severe blow to businesses employing tens of thousands of people. The sale of smartphone has come down by 90 per cent while online tracking of the courier services has come to a halt due to the Internet blockade.
Indian police arrested Farooq Ahmad and Muhammad Sultan, the two brothers of Hurriyat leader, Molvi Bashir Ahmad and raided his sister’s house in Bandipora and beat up the family members.
Leading US Democratic presidential aspirants, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have come out in support of Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal after Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar cancelled his meeting with a Congressional committee over inclusion of Jayapal in the group. Senators Sanders, Warren and two other US lawmakers tweeted to express their support for Jayapal, saying that Jaishankar and India were trying to silence the voice of the US lawmaker. Jayapal is one, who introduced a Congressional resolution on Kashmir urging India to lift all the restrictions in occupied Kashmir imposed after the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status on August 5.
