Geelani, other Kashmiri leaders greets Pakistanis on the eve of Independence Day

SRINAGAR: Chairman All Parties Hurriyet Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani has greeted the people and the government of Pakistan on the eve of their Independence Day saying that after Allah Almighty, Pakistan is the only visible support to people of Kashmir.

Syed Ali Geelani in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was the center of the wishes and feelings of the oppressed Kashmiri people. “After Almighty Allah, Pakistan is the only visible support which, every time, highlights our miseries and supports our freedom movement on national and international forums,” he said.

Geelani said that Pakistan was the only country in the whole world, which openly supported the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and their freedom struggle on political, diplomatic and moral levels. He extended greetings to the people, army and leadership of Pakistan. He appealed to the Kashmiri people and Imams of mosques to organize special prayers for the stability, prosperity and peace of the country.

Syed Ali Geelani said that the existence of Pakistan had proven to be a great blessing for the Muslims of the entire world especially for the Muslims residing in South Asia. “Its creation has played a vital role in the recognition of the existence of a community which was known as minorities in the sub-continent,” he said.

While commenting over the status of the Muslims living in India, the octogenarian leader said that even after 68 years, the communal-minded people of India were yet to accept the existence of those Muslims who remained in the country and they were still looked with suspicion in the country. “According to the government constituted Justice Sachar Committee report, the Muslims are continuously being pushed backward in every sphere of life and they are being treated as second class citizens in India. Their everything, such as life, property, honour, dignity and even religious identity are not safe at the hands of the fanatic and communal forces,” he added.

Syed Ali Geelani said that without formation of Pakistan, the condition of the Muslims of the sub-continent would have been same as in India and they would have to live on the mercy of the fascist forces.

Other Hurriyet leaders including All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Maulana Abbas Ansari in their statements said that Pakistan had always highlighted Kashmiris’ miseries and supported their freedom movement on international forums. They prayed that Pakistan might touch new heights of peace, progress and prosperity in the days to come.

Meanwhile, the leaders have called for complete shutdown in occupied Kashmir on Saturday, the India’s Independence Day. They said that New Delhi had no moral and constitutional right to celebrate this day in Jammu and Kashmir since it had occupied the territory against the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Indian army and police have unleashed a process of arrest, harassment and frisking across the territory in the name of so-called security ahead of Independence Day. Police are raiding the residences of Hurriyet leaders and activists.

The authorities continued to place Syed Ali Geelani, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Zafar Akbar Butt, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War and Syed Saleem Gilani under house arrest and detain Muhammad Yasin Malik and Hakeem Abdur Rasheed at different police stations of the territory.

On the other hand, around a dozen worshippers were critically injured in an explosion planted by Indian agents in the premises of a mosque at Trenz in Shopian.