ISLAMABAD – In occupied Kashmir, Hurriyat leaders paying glowing tributesto prominent martyred Hurriyat leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, on his martyrdomanniversary, on Saturday, reaffirmed the Kashmiris’ resolve to accomplishthe mission of their martyrs at all costs.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz was shot dead by Indian troops on 11th August, 2008,while he was leading a procession from Srinagar to the Line of Controlagainst the economic blockade of the Kashmir Valley by Hindu extremists ofJammu.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani, who is underhouse arrest, telephonically addressing a conference held in Srinagartermed Sheikh Aziz as a visionary political leader as well as a bravecommander who faced bullets on his chest rather than to succumb orsurrender before the Indian military might.

A large number of people including Hurriyat leaders, Shabbir Ahmed Dar,Muhammad Musaddiq Aadil, Javaid Ahmed Mir, and Imtiyaz Ahmed Reshi, visitedMartyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar, today, and paid homage to Sheikh AbdulAziz and other Kashmiri martyrs.

Speakers at a seminar held by the APHC-AJK chapter in Islamabad, today,said that the sacrifices of Kashmiris martyrs including Sheikh Aziz hadcentre-staged the Kashmir dispute at the world level. They deplored thatafter failing to suppress the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle through militarymight, India was now hatching conspiracies to change the demographiccomposition of Jammu and Kashmir.

Complete strike was observed at Langate in Kupwara and in Tral town ofPulwama against killing and arrest of youth by the Indian forces’ personnel.

The Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz UmarFarooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik has called for observance of completeshutdown and Black Day in the territory on 15th August, India’sIndependence Day.