MIRPUR/MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Chaudhry, while paying eulogizing tributes to Shaheed Burhan Muzaffar Wani on Saturday, said that Wani’s martyrdom imbibed new spirit in the ongoing struggle for freedom of occupied Jammu and Kashmir from unlawful Indian occupation.
“Burhan Wani will always be remembered in the annals of Kashmir as a symbol of courage and resistance”, the PM said, adding that Wani had imbibed new spirit in the resistance movement by sacrificing his life. He said that the Kashmiri nation will continue the mission of Shaheed Burhan Wani and other martyrs who laid down their lives for the noble cause of freedom from Indian occupation. “No power can stop the struggle of the Kashmiri people for freedom of the motherland from Indian shackles”, he said, adding India cannot suppress Kashmiris’ spirit and passion for freedom through its military might. Stressing the need for early resolution of the Kashmir dispute, the AJK PM said that it was high time that the world should realise the fact that peace in the restive region would remain a distant dream unless the lingering dispute was resolved according to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiri people. “Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory that needs to be resolved in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council”, he underlined. Urging the world community to help stop continued bloodshed and violence in the region, the PM said there was a dire need that the world should take effective notice of the systematic genocide in Kashmir. “Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir have crossed all limits of barbarism and brutality”, he said, adding that IIOJK was now the world’s highest militarised zone where over one million armed Indian troops were stationed. He said that India’s hands were stained with the blood of Kashmiris. Terming Hindutva ideology as a threat to peace and stability in the region, the PM said that India under Modi regime was no longer safe for Muslims and other minorities. After August 5, 2019, he said, “India had turned Occupied Jammu and Kashmir into military cantonment where basic human rights of citizens were always denied and innocent Kashmiris were being martyred by Indian occupying forces.”
Meanwhile, normal life has been severely affected in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) due to the shutdown on July 8 (Saturday) on the 7th martyrdom anniversary of popular youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), a call for the shutdown has been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference to pay tributes to Burhan Wani and other martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement. The strike call has been supported by all pro-freedom leaders and organizations. Burhan Wani was martyred along with his two associates by Indian troops in a fake encounter in Kokernag area of Islamabad district on this day in 2016. Indian army and police warned the shopkeepers in Srinagar and other areas to keep their outlets open or otherwise face dire consequences. However, despite threats, they kept their businesses closed to demonstrate their affiliation with the ongoing freedom movement and pay tribute to the martyrs. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders in their statements said that Burhan Wani and other Kashmiri martyrs are the symbols of resistance against India’s illegal occupation over Jammu and Kashmir. They said that the Kashmiri people will not allow the sacrifices of these martyrs to go waste and will accomplish their mission at all costs.
Meanwhile, the seventh martyrdom anniversary of the well-known Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Muzaffar Wani (BMW) was observed as ‘Resistance Day’ organised by Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir. According to details, an organised contingent of 313 youth took oath of resistance against Indian illegal occupation, saluted the martyrs of Kashmir, Pakistan and state flags along with national anthems, while mothers and daughters of martyrs laid flowers on their pictures.
The ‘Resistance Day’ rally was led by Chairman Pasban-e-Hurriyat Uzair Ahmed Ghazali and Vice Chairman Usman Ali Hashim. Dr Raja Sajjad Latif Khan was the chief guest of the ceremony while the leaders of All Party Hurriyat Conference Zahid Saifi and Mushtaq-ul-Islam presided the event. National anthems of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir were played during which the participants stood respectfully with their hands on their chests.
In the ceremony, the mothers, daughters, children and widows of Kashmir martyrs sprinkled flowers on their pictures, which brought tears to the eyes of everyone present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, speakers said that young leader (Burhan) of Kashmir took over the command of the resistance movement in difficult conditions, he challenged the Indian usurpers with his gun besides highlighting the plight of Kashmiri people on social media.Mass public rallies at both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) including Azad Jammu Kashmir besides various parts of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Saturday reiterated their resolve to continue the noble mission of Wani till the liberation of the occupied Jammu Kashmir State from the long Indian subjugation. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, mass public rallies and demonstrations besides special prayer meetings for rest of the departed soul of Shaheed Wani besides other Jammu and Kashmir martyrs in all ten district and tehsil headquarters including the capital city of Muzaffarabad were the hall mark of the first martyrdom anniversary of the youngest Kashmiri freedom fighter.
