SRINAGAR – In occupied Kashmir, people held forceful demonstrations indifferent areas, today, to show their resentment against the Indianoccupation and ongoing lockdown in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, as the Juma congregational prayersculminated, people took to the streets in Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal,Islamabad, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara andother areas, shouting high-pitched pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Indian police and troops used brute force against the protesters at manyplaces, injuring several of them.
The occupation authorities did not allow people to offer Juma prayers atJamia Masjid in Srinagar and other main mosques of the Kashmir Valley onthe 18th successive week since 5th August.
Meanwhile, the situation in territory particularly in the Kashmir Valleyremained grim as the military lockdown continues on 124th day, on Friday.
The residents of the Valley continue to suffer immensely due to impositionof restrictions under section 144 and suspension of internet and prepaidmobile phone services.
The Jammu and Kashmir Youth League in handbills and brochures pasted onwalls in the occupied territory issued a protest calendar urging people toconduct a march towards Dastagir Sahib in Srinagar, tomorrow.
It asked the masses to conduct similar march towards the UN office inSrinagar on Monday, observe complete blackout on Wednesday evening andimpose civil curfew on Thursday.
Former General Secretary of High Court Bar Association of occupied Kashmir,Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, in an interview with KMS demanded immediate release ofall illegally detained Kashmiris including Bar President, Mian AbdulQayoom, and senior lawyers, Nazir Ahmed Ronga, Muhammad Ashraf Butt andHilal Akbar Lone.
The Islamabad-based Independent Urdu, which is the Urdu edition of UK’sonline newspaper, The Independent, in an article reveals that the incidentsof molestation of women are increasing and the actual number of theseincidents is much higher than those reported.
The article maintains that Indian soldiers use rape as a weapon to suppressthe resolve of the people of occupied Kashmir.
The article, quoting a Kashmiri journalist, says that Indian soldiers bargeinto the residential houses at any hour of the day or night and ask aboutwomen, especially about young daughters and sisters.
The Acting Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Abdul HameedButt, in a memorandum addressed to the UN Secretary General, AntonioGuterres, asked him to take steps for saving the party Chairman, MuhammadYasin Malik, who faces a serious threat to his life in New Delhi’s TiharJail, and ending escalation between Pakistan and India at the Line ofControl.
The memorandum was presented to the UN Office in Islamabad by the JKLFleaders, Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Samavi, Muhammad Rafiq Dar, Saleem Haroon,Sardar Jamshed and Waheed Showkat.
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Meanwhile, Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industry has said, economy ofthe territory has suffered losses of one hundred and fifty (150) billionrupees since August 5 due to continued lockdown and internet blockadeimposed by India.
The KCCI President, Sheikh Ashiq Hussain, in an interview in Srinagar said,this is just a conservative estimate and they will be coming up with acomprehensive data about the losses within a week.
He said that every sector of business has been hit after the clampdown andinternet ban in occupied Kashmir since August 5th.
He said handicraft, tourism, IT industry, e-commerce sectors and carpetindustry were the worst hit.
He said businesses have witnessed huge losses and all sort of activitieshave come down in the Valley.
He said, the hotel and restaurant industry has seen more than 30,000 peoplelosing their jobs.
The e-commerce sector, which includes courier services for purchases madeonline, has seen 10,000 people losing their jobs.
Sheikh Ashiq Hussain said there are no orders because the traders don’thave any access to the internet.
Many new businesses especially start-ups are completely dependent on socialmedia but they have not been able to access it due to the communicationsgag.
The KCCI President said that many members of the trade community inoccupied Kashmir had been detained.
Four months have passed and they have-not been released yet.