In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, has reiterated his demand for right to self-determination saying that despite oppression, Kashmiri youth are sacrificing their lives to end the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Syed Ali Gilani visited his native Dooru area of Sopore after eight years to express solidarity with his daughter over the sad demise of her husband, Ghulam Hassan Makhdoomi. The occupation authorities have kept Syed Ali Gilani under house detention at his residence in Hyderpora area of Srinagar since 2010 and disallow his to offer Juma prayers in mosque.
Addressing the mourners, the APHC Chairman said that as per two nation theory, two countries – India and Pakistan – came in to existence; however, Kashmir was illegally occupied by India by sending its troops in the territory. He said that over one lac people in occupied Kashmir had sacrificed their lives in the ongoing just struggle for securing their right to self-determination.
“I have always reaffirmed my stand that we never demanded any legitimate piece of land from India, but only demand our basic and birth right, i.e. right to self-determination promised by the Indian leaders with global witness and world guarantee. Instead of addressing our genuine demands our illegal and forced occupier always tries to crush us with military might, but our resolve and unparalleled sacrifices have proved it beyond doubt that this arrogant mindset has miserably failed to kill our emotions and dilute our vigor for freedom,” the octogenarian leader said. He said that India with its denial mode had consumed three generations of Kashmir and was threatening the global peace and stability by its arrogant attitude.
Syed Ali Gilani while referring to his house arrest said that the occupation authorities, with a heavy heart, had let him come to this place after about eight years. “I have been confined in the four walls of my house since 2010 with a large contingent of police and CRPF. My residence has actually been turned into a prison, where every visitor is frisked and searched so minutely that people including our relatives are reluctant to visit us,” he said.
People raised high-pitched pro-freedom and anti-India slogans on the occasion.
