Shabir Shah voices concern over rising incidents of stat terrorism in IoK

SRINAGAR, Nov 25, (SABAH): Senior Hurriyat leader and Chairman Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah while expressing his serious concern over the rising incidents of state terrorism in the Indian occupied Kashmir has said that the Modi government had turned Kashmir into a killing field.

In a statement issued from Tihar jail, the incarcerated Hurriyat leader said that killing innocent youth during the so-called cordon and search operations and fake encounters has become a new normal for the occupation forces in Kashmir. Terming it as a worst kind of state terrorism, Shah said the policy of oppression and suppression could never suppress the freedom spirit of the Kashmiris through.

“The supreme sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiri martyrs will never go in vain”, he said, adding that the day was not far when Kashmir would be free from the shackles of Indian bondage.

Referring to the Indian army officer’s threatening statement, Shabir Ahmad Shah while voicing his concern over India’s belligerent approach said that it was unfortunate that the Indian military and political establishment has failed to learn from history. “The history of the subcontinent stands witness to the fact that aggression and antagonism and even the wars the two countries have fought over Kashmir since 1947 have failed to bring the much-needed peace in the region”, Shah said adding that India must take a leaf out of the 75-year long illegal occupation of Kashmir.

Stressing the need for resolution of the decades’ long unresolved Kashmir problem, Shah said, “Peace and security in the region was inescapably linked to the settlement of Kashmir dispute in line with the United Nations resolutions”.

He said that the Indian government must accept the ground reality that the dream of a durable peace cannot be achieved if the core issue- Kashmir was sidelined. “Indian need to realize that killing, maiming, blinding and murdering Kashmiris, snatching from them their legitimate political and democratic rights at the dint of force, choking every voice of dissent, suppressing legitimate political voices and militarizing the region is not the solution to the Kashmir problem”, Shah said adding that despite the deployment of over 900,000 troops in the region India has miserably failed to dampen the Kashmiris’ resolve and their urge for freedom from Indian subjugation.

He reiterated that Kashmir issue should be resolved through the implementation of United Nations resolutions or talks between all the stakeholders of the dispute.

He regrettably noted that the Indian held territory of Jammu & Kashmir was the only place in the world where people were being subjected to disappearance after getting arrested and during the past 75 years more than half a million people were killed and properties worth billions of rupees destroyed by Indian forces.

Shabir Ahmad Shah said the Indian leadership should muster courage and fulfill the promises the first Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.