Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Flays Arrests, Curbs On Political Expression In IOK

The Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has denounced the arrest spree by India's National Investigative Agency (NIA) and curbs on political expression in the territory.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jul, 2018 ) :The Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has denounced the arrest spree by India's National Investigative Agency (NIA) and curbs on political expression in the territory.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar asserted that no amount of fear-mongering would end the need for resolution of the Kashmir dispute. "Curbs, arrests and other intimidating tools won't end the serious need to address the Kashmir dispute. But New Delhi is following the policy of fear-mongering and shows no desire for settlement of the dispute" he said.

The Mirwaiz said New Delhi is subduing the genuine aspirations of people in Kashmir and raids, arrests, curbs and other means of repression show that New Delhi is banking on the policy of fear. But people of Kashmir have grown too conscious to be cowed down by intimidating ploys, he added.

The Hurriyat forum Chairman said today in India itself, the credibility and impartiality of the investigative agencies that are being used to train their guns at us, is being severely questioned and challenged by citizens of India themselves.

"These agencies are being called the agents of the ruling dispensation and are used against anyone and everyone who opposes or does not agree with the government or questions its ways," he said.

The Mirwaiz while commenting on the condition of the political prisoners said that their condition was worsening behind the bars as they had been housed with the dreaded criminals in Delhi's notorious Tihar jail putting their life in grave danger.

He lauded the courage and commitment of illegally detained Kashmiris including Hurriyat leaders and activists, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Merajuddin Kalwal, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar, Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, languishing in jails in and outside the territory.