SHAFIQ'S KILLING
Srinagar, May 1: A day after Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, accused Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, of encouraging stone pelting, Geelani hit back on Saturday saying, “Omar does not want people to raise their voice against the oppression.
  “Omar is only bothered about saving his chair. He feels that protests can cost him his throne. He is least concerned about the safety of civilians,” Geelani told a gathering at Natipora here outside the residence of Sheikh Shafiq Ahmad, who was killed in a stone pelting incident near Batmaloo yesterday.
 In an apparent reference to mainstream politicians, Geelani said, “Those who brought Indian troops into JK and those who are presently pleading India’s cause are responsible for all the killings and bloodshed in the state.”
 Expressing deep concern over Shafiq’s killing, Geelani said nothing could be said with certainty about how he was killed. “We are investigating it at our level. As soon as we get to know about it, we will inform the people accordingly,” he said, adding that “When we call for peaceful protests, anti-movement elements mingle with innocent protesters to create confusion. We cannot rule out hand of anti-movement elements in Shafiq’s killing,” Geelani said.
 He asked people to remain cautious to keep “agents” at bay. “Rulers want graveyard like silence to prevail here and for that they direct their agents to foil the protest programs.
 “When the armed struggle was at peak, we would take every gunman in civvies for a militant but later it was proved that Ikhwanis who were also part of people had crept into militant ranks. India has been encouraging anti-revolution elements at all levels,” Geelani said, adding, “India declared Kuka Parray, the murderer of 250 persons, as Messiah and made him an MLA.”
 He urged people to refrain from raising provocative slogans.  

Malik visit Shafiq’s home
Srinagar, May 1: The JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik today visited the house of Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh, who was killed in a stone pelting incident yesterday, to express solidarity with the bereaved family.  
 Meanwhile, a delegation of  JKLF (R) also visited Shafiq’s residence and expressed solidarity with his family.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 May 2010 00:00:00 IST