Islamabad (Anantnag), June 19: Complete shutdown was observed in this south Kashmir township on Tuesday to commemorate the 18th death anniversary of prominent pro-freedom leader Qazi Nisar Ahmad. The call for shutdown was given by Ummat-I-Islami.
 Shops and other business establishments remained closed while the attendance in schools was thin. However, traffic plied normally on the roads as it was exempted from the strike to facilitate the visit of the people from different parts of the Valley.
 People in large numbers marched towards Hanfia Eidgah to participate in the rally organized by Ummat-i-Islami to pay tributes to Qazi Nisar Ahmad, who was one of the founders of Muslim United Front (MUF). Qazi Nisar was gunned down by unidentified gunmen in Dialgam village this day in 1994.
 Besides Umat-I-Islami Chairman and Mirwaiz South Kahmir, Qazi Yasir Ahmad, Democratic Freedom Party Chairman, Shabir Ahmad Shah, National Front Chairman, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Salvation Movement Chairman, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, JKLF (H) Chairman, Javaid Ahmad Mir and Muslim Conference leader Shabir Ahmad Dar also addressed the rally. The leaders paid rich tribute to Qazi Nisar.
 Speaking on the occasion, Qazi Yasir urged the young generation to remain resilient and steadfast at this juncture. “The unbridled powers enjoyed by the armed forces in the state can go away once the suppression ends. Then the miseries Kashmiris would end. So people particularly the young generation should fight for this basic right,” he said.
 He urged people to remain cautious of “the forces hell bent upon creating a wedge among the people of Kashmir on sectarian lines.” “This is was aimed at diverting the people from the core issue of freedom,” he said. “Our model of Azadi should be based on teachings of Qu’ran, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Awlias.”
 Yasir said the contribution of Qazi Nisar in the freedom movement is unmatched. “Despite being the architect of MUF he himself choose not to contest the election in 1987 and sacrificed his life for achieving the goal of freedom,” he said.  
 DFP Chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah described Qazi Nisar as a visionary leader who sacrificed his life for the freedom movement.
 Shah while condemning the harassment of the youth by the forces in Islamabad town and other parts of the valley said: “The government is adopting every repressive tactic to muzzle our voices and choke the pro-freedom sentiment in Kashmir. But they should bear it in mind that the sentiment is very much alive and they can’t crush it by force.”
 He said that in every freedom movement there are ups and downs but that doesn’t anyway mean that Kashmiris have given up their cause. “The sacrifices rendered by the people of Kashmir won’t go waste and the day is not far away when Kashmiris will bear its fruit,” Shah said.
 NF Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan called for unity among the pro-freedom organizations.
 “Though Qazi Nisar was a religious scholar, his contribution on the political front was exemplary. He was the man responsible for bringing different political and religious parties together to fight for the cause of Muslims in the state on a single platform and the result was the creation of MUF,” Khan said, adding, “The same unity is the need of the hour at this juncture of freedom movement.” 
 Later, the people marched towards Mazar-I-Shuhada, Idarai-Tehkeekat-I-Islami Madrassa where a Fateh-Khwani was offered to Shaheed Qazi Nisar and other martyrs.
 Meanwhile, in the evening clashes broke out between the police and the youth at many places in the old town including, Reeshi Bazar, Cheeni Chowk and Malakhnag. The youth in groups took to streets and pelted stones and bricks on policemen who chased them away. People also visited the Hanfia Eidgah to pay homage to the slain leader.
 Cops allegedly damaged the vehicle of Hurriyat leader Zaffar Akhbar Bhat.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST