SRINAGAR: Forceful anti-India demonstrations were staged in Indian occupied Kashmir on Friday to protest against the award by Indian army chief to the army officer who tied a civilian to the bonnet of his jeep as a human shield in Badgam, last month.

An Indian army vehicle using a Kashmiri youth as a human shield by tying him against the jeep?s bonnet. Photo: File 

 

Addressing a gathering at the historic Jamia Mosque, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that awarding the criminal officer for his inhuman act vindicated his stance that Indian forces? personnel were involved in war crimes and were patronised and encouraged by Indian leadership.

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The joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and Shabbir Ahmed Shah in their statements in Srinagar appealed to the United Nations, International Court of Justice, and world human rights organisations to take cognizance of Indian atrocities on the innocent people of occupied Kashmir.

People took to the streets in Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal, Sopore, Baramulla, Islamabad, Pulwama, Hajin, Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipore and other areas, after the joint resistance leadership made the call for demonstrations.

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The protests were led by Hurriyet leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Qazi Yasir, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Showkat Ahmed Bakhshi and Raja Merajuddin Kalwal.

The protesters raised high-pitched pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan, and anti-India slogans. They also waved Pakistani flags at various places. Indian police resorted to teargas shelling in different areas, triggering severe clashes between the protesters and police personnel. Many people were injured in the police actions.

Thousands of people assembled outside Jamia mosque in Nowhatta area of Srinagar and demanded freedom from Indian subjugation.

The Indian authorities continued to place Syed Ali Gilani and Shabbir Ahmed Shah under house arrest to prevent them from leading the demonstrations. The leaders were not allowed to offer Friday prayers.

Hurriyet leaders, Zafar Akbar Butt and Jahangir Ghani Butt, in their statements, expressed serious concern over increasing border tension between Pakistan and India. They said that peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute was essential for ensuring cordial relations between the two countries.