Afzal Guru’s martyrdom anniversary

ISLAMABAD/SRINAGAR: Complete shutdown observed, Tuesday, to mark the 7th martyrdom anniversary of Kashmiri leader, Muhammad Afzal Guru, in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

According to Kashmir Media Service, call for the shutdown has been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Hurriyat forum, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and other pro-freedom leaders and organizations.

The JKLF on Thursday called for strikes on Feb. 9 and Feb. 11 to observe the anniversary of the death of Afzal Guru, and then that of its founder Maqbool Bhat.

Stringent measures have been taken in the name of security to prevent anti-India protests. A large number of personnel of Indian army, police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in all important places. All shops and business establishments are closed in Srinagar and other parts of the territory while traffic is off the road.

The leaders and organizations have also called for complete shutdown on Tuesday on the occasion of the martyrdom anniversary of another prominent liberation leader, Muhammad Maqbool Butt.

India had hanged Muhammad Afzal Guru in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on 9th February, 2013 and Muhammad Maqbool Butt in the same jail on 11th February, 1984, for their role in Kashmir freedom movement.

Their bodies remain buried in the premises of the jail.

Meanwhile, normal life continues to remain affected in the Kashmir Valley due to the military lockdown and gag on broadband and high speed mobile internet on 189th consecutive day, Tuesday.

While, Indian police have launched legal proceedings against JKLF for calling the strikes in IOK.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Modi’s government had made a prison out of the beautiful land of Jammu and Kashmir.

While commenting on the appalling human rights situation in occupied Kashmir, Priyanka in a tweet, said, “Continued internet blackout, illegal detentions and not to mention archaic laws slapped on popular politicians in order to keep them silent” this is the reality of J&K,” reported by Kashmir Media Service.

In other hand Indian police arrested five youth during cordon and search operations in Badgam and Bandipora districts.

Three of detained youth identified as Amir Shafi Dar, Shabir Ahmed Ganie and Mudasir Ahmed Khan were arrested from Badgam while two other youth Irfan Aziz Butt and Mohammad Asif Parray from Bandipora district.