SRINAGAR – In occupied Kashmir, normal life remained crippled due tocomplete shutdown, Saturday, on the occasion of the sixth martyrdomanniversary of Kashmiri leader, Muhammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged by theIndian authorities in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on this day in 2013.
Call for the shutdown was given by the Joint Resistance Leadershipcomprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik tocommemorate the anniversary and also press the demand for the return of themortal remains of Muhammad Afzal Guru and renowned Kashmiri liberationleader, Muhammad Maqbool Butt, from New Delhi’s Tihar Jail to occupiedKashmir for proper burial.
All shops and other business establishments remained shut while transportwas off the road, Saturday. The JRL has also called for shutdown in theterritory and a march towards Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Monday on themartyrdom anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Butt.
India had sent Muhammad Afzal Guru to gallows in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on9th February, 2013 and hanged Muhammad Maqbool Butt in the same jail on11th of February in 1984 for their role in Kashmir freedom movement. Theirbodies remain buried in the premises of the jail.
The occupation authorities imposed restrictions in Sopore, Baramulla andSrinagar, by deploying Indian troops and police personnel to prevent peoplefrom visiting the family members of Muhammad Afzal Guru and expressingsolidarity with them. The authorities put Hurriyat leaders including SyedAli Gilani Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Muhammad YasinMalik, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and others under house arrest to prevent themfrom leading anti-India demonstrations. The authorities also suspendedtrain service in the occupied territory.
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Despite restrictions, a large number of people including Hurriyat leadersand activists visited Tarzoo, Sopore and participated in a condolencegathering organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party.Speakers on the occasion while paying glowing tributes to Muhammad AfzalGuru and other Kashmiri martyrs said that their sacrifices would not beallowed to go waste.
Meanwhile, senior APHC leader and the Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat,Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, in a statement strongly reacted to India’s move ofgranting Ladakh the status of a separate administrative and revenuedivision. He said that New Delhi was hell bent to harm the disputed natureof Jammu and Kashmir by dividing it on cultural and religious lines.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir chapter held aprayers session in Islamabad, today, in the memory of Muhammad Afzal Guruon his martyrdom anniversary.