Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Thursday termed Kashmir issue as “globally accepted dispute.”
“Kashmir issue is a globally accepted dispute and the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination has been acknowledged and confirmed by more than a dozen resolutions. But persistent denial of our basic rights has turned this beautiful piece of land in a battlefield where everyday killings, crackdowns, arrests, nocturnal raids and bulldozing residences have became a routine,” Geelani having said while addressing the amalgam’s Majlis-i-Shoora meeting held at his Hydepora residence here.
Geelani expressed serious concern over the pathetic condition of political prisoners, saying that “Despite being political prisoners they are denied every right guaranteed in the national or international jail manual. Revengeful attitude of the rulers in Delhi has crossed every limit of heartlessness and insensitivity. They willfully prolong their stay in jails through different means.”
Citing the example of prisoners, he said, “Dr Muhammad Qasim, who has completed his 26 years of imprisonment, is yet to be released. How long will he remain in custody? Slapping Public Safety Act (PSA) for the 37th time on Masrat Aalam Bhat has created a history of non- compliance of the judicial orders by the administration. Similarly for the last nine years Dr G M Bhat is languishing in Tihar Jail and the list of 240 fake witnesses out of which only 33 have surfaced in these nine years and it seems that it may need another 50 years to testify his charges. Peer Saifullah is already a patient of brain tumor and has been operated upon recently, but he is languishing in Tihar jail for past one and half year without any medical care and he is not even released on his medical grounds. The other prisoners in and outside state are facing the same situation.”
Geelani appealed to the civil society, other sects of the state and media fraternity particularly print and electronic professionals and columnists to highlight the ‘gross violations against the political prisoners by the oppressor’.
Appealing to the global human rights organizations to protect the prisoner rights and safeguard their lives in custody, Geelani said, “Ill-treatment, poor and unhygienic food, lack of medical aid and solitary confinement have adversely affected their health to maximum and Kashmiris in general and their families in particular are worried for their safety.”
Geelani reiterated his appeal to the people to boycott upcoming elections and exhibit steadfastness and keep away from these ‘sham polls’.
Today’s Hurriyat executive meeting was attended by representatives of the amalgam including Haji Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Muhammad Rafiq Ganie, Muhammad Yaseen Aataie, Khawaja Firdous Wani, Ghulam Muhammad Nagoo, Syed Muhammad Shafi, Muhammad Maqbool Magami, Yasmeen Raja, Masooda, Arshid Aziz and Mubashir Iqbal.
“Besides other issues, the forum expressed grave concern about the deteriorating condition of the Kashmiri prisoners in and outside state jails, particularly Tihar. Despite repeated statements and the off and on media reports there seems no respite from the pathetic and humiliating conditions faced by these poor inmates. In the meeting Hurriyat leaders strongly condemned the nocturnal raid and brutal attack by forces on TeH district president Baramulla Mufti Abdul Ahad and threat to exile from the district. He is a well known social and political leader and such barbaric assault on him are unbearable and unacceptable,” the spokesman said.