Partial shutdown strike observed in IIOJK on the occasion of popular youth leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s 7th martyrdom anniversary

SRINAGAR, July 08 (SABAH):  Normal life was severely affected in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) due to the partial shutdown strike observed, on Saturday, on the 7th martyrdom anniversary of popular youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani.

Call for the shutdown was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference to pay tributes to Burhan Muzaffar Wani and other martyrs of Kashmir freedom movement. The strike call was supported by all pro-freedom leaders and organizations including United Jihad Council.

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.

Meanwhile 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.

Pro-freedom organizations through the posters pasted in different areas of the Kashmir Valley have paid rich tributes to Burhan Wani and other Kashmiri martyrs.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir while paying glowing tributes to popular youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, have reiterated the Kashmiris’ resolve to accomplish the mission of their martyrs at all costs.

The APHC leaders including Khadim Hussain, Syed Sibte Shabbir Qummi and Muhamad Huzaif in their statements issued in Srinagar said that Burhan Wani gave a new dimension to the freedom struggle through social media and his services and sacrifices for the freedom movement would always be remembered. They said that Burhan Wani belonged to an affluent family but he gave up his life of comfort and chose a tough path and infused a new spirit in the freedom struggle through effective use of social media.

The APHC leaders said Burhan Wani has become the face of Kashmir freedom movement and a symbol of Kashmiris’ resistance to India’s illegal occupation of their homeland. They pointed out that despite exhausting all its resources and employing every brutal tactics, New Delhi has failed to intimidate the Kashmiri people into submission. They said India can snatch Burhans physically, but it cannot kill the freedom sentiment of Kashmiri people and Burhans will keep on coming till Kashmir attains freedom from its yoke.

The APHC leaders maintained that Burhan Wani and other Kashmiri martyrs have laid down their lives for a great cause. They said the Kashmiri martyrs’ unparalleled sacrifices, which have made the Kashmir dispute the focus of attention at the international level, will not be allowed to go waste and the ongoing freedom movement will be taken to its logical conclusion, despite all odds.

The APHC leaders said the Kashmiris are destined to win their freedom and Indian defeat is the writing on the wall. They appealed to the international community to hold India accountable for its brutalities in IIOJK and force New Delhi to settle the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations and relevant UN resolutions.

Meanwhile Indian troops have martyred 1821 Kashmiris, including 40 women, since the extrajudicial killing of popular youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, in 2016 till date in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a report released on Saturday, on the occasion of Burhan Wani’s martyrdom anniversary, of those martyred Kashmiris, 242 have been killed in fake encounters or in custody during the period.

The report said at least 29,984 people have sustained injuries due to the use of brute force including firing of bullets, pellets and teargas shells on peaceful demonstrators and mourners by Indian military, paramilitary and police personnel in the occupied territory.

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. His extrajudicial killing had triggered mass uprising in IIOJK and in the following just few months, Indian troops had martyred over 150 innocent Kashmiris by firing bullets, pellets and teargas shells on peaceful protesters.