Srinagar Jan 27: His hair is unkept. His clothes bore wrinkle marks all over. His voice has lost energy and he takes a pause after every two words he speaks. He is an exhausted man. Reason: he underwent hiding for three consecutive days and nights.
Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Muhammad Yasin Malik seems to be contended on the outcome of his programme on Jan 26. As he sits in one of the shabby room of his office littered with files and party flags after being released from Kothi Bagh police station on Thursday, Malik said, “To remain underground was a very challenging task. I faced round the clock vulnerability. Since, I had to remain in contact with cadres and activists to make the programme successful.”
“As a militant when I went underground in 1989 and 1990, it was a different experience. I went into hiding at a designated place and never came in public. Neither had I any contact with other cohorts of my armed wing members then. I was confined”.
Malik said while remaining underground, he had to change his hiding places frequently to evade arrests.
“They conducted 50-raids at different locations in Maisuma, downtown and other locations to arrest me,” he said, adding, “I changed places and walked during nights to avoid police checkpoints. It was really a challenging task. I was all the time contemplating to make it successful and lead the protest march to hoist the flag. I have not slept for four consecutive nights. That is why I am so tired”.
Malik said many times he had inkling police had traced him as he used to be in contact with his party members like Bashir Bhat, Showkat Bakshi, Iqbal Gandroo, Mushtaq A Dar, MD Sheikh, Bita Guroo. “I was not using my phone at all. But I managed to be in touch”.
“I was joined by Bilal Gani Lone on Jan 25 and later by Shahid-ul-Islam” he said.
Terming the JKLF programme as “successful”, Malik said it was “non violent democratic victory of Kashmiris”. “I am happy over the outcome and thanks people, especially the youth of valley”.
Malik along with Bilal Gani Lone and Shahid-ul-Islam along with other activists were arrested on Wednesday from Lal Chowk when they attempted to take out a protest march and hoist a flag at Clock Tower in Lal Chowk. 
The tensions ran high on January 26 in Kashmir as BJP’s had planned to hoist a tri-colour in historic Lal Chowk, a move which evoked widespread criticism from many political quarters including JKLF who came with a counter programme.
 Even the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, had asked parties to ‘desist from scoring political points or primitive divisive agendas so that peace is not disturbed in sensitive Jammu and Kashmir.’

Lastupdate on : Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST