Islamabad, Apr 27: The segregated factions of Hurriyat Conference staged a joint sit-in protest demonstration in front of UNMOGIP office in Islamabad today as a mark of protest against Delhi Court’s decision of granting death sentence to three Muslims including two Kashmiris accused of involvement in Lajpat Nagar bomb blast.
 Led by Mehmood Ahmed Saghar and Ghulam Muhammad Safi, the protest demonstration was attended by the constituent members of both the factions. While raising high-pitched slogans against India and in favour of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, the demonstrators urged the highest body to take cognizance of what they called as victimization of Kashmiri youth.
 Speaking on the occasion, Hurriyat representatives flayed Delhi High Court’s decision of awarding capital punishment to Kashmiri youth and termed the verdict as prejudice and politically-motivated. They said that Indian authorities were in a habit of involving Kashmiris in concocted cases and branding Kashmiri youth as terrorists.
 Taking serious note of the recent killings across the valley, Hurriyat leaders were of view that the ‘draconian’ laws enacted in the state give “occupation forces” a license to kill innocent Kashmiris. 
 They speakers also denounced continued detention of senior Hurriyat leader Shabir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan and others political activists.
 Expressing concern over the worsening health condition of Shabir Shah, they urged the world human rights bodies to impress upon India to ensure safe release of the detained leader and other political activists languishing in various jails in and outside the “occupied territory.”
 Stressing the need for repealing of draconian laws like AFSPA they said that in presence of these harsh acts the human rights situation in the state could never improve. However, they maintained that to mitigate sufferings of Kashmiris the resolution of long-simmering dispute was imperative.
 Later a memorandum highlighting the plight of Kashmiris was presented to the UN Secretary General through UNMOGIP officials. The memorandum said that the UN should send a fact-finding mission to investigate the massive HR abuses ‘perpetrated by Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir.’
 Meanwhile, a delegation of APHC-G led by G Muhammad Safi called on Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Syed Munawar Hassan in Islamabad. The visiting delegates apprised the JI chief of the prevailing political situation in Kashmir.
 Syed Munawar Hassan while assuring his party’s full support to Kashmiris’ just cause said that Jamaat would make all out efforts to strengthen Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for right to self-determination.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST