ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: While defying curfew and other restrictions, today, people staged forceful demonstrations in Srinagar, Pampore, Pulwama, Tral, Islamabad and other areas to show solidarity with the three Mujahideen martyred by Indian troops in Pampore.
The authorities had imposed curfew and other restrictions from Pantha Chhowk in Srinagar to Pampore in Pulwama district along the Srinagar-Jammu Highway following fierce clashes between the protesters and Indian forces’ personnel, reported Kashmir Media Service.
The clashes had resulted in the injuring of several persons. However, despite curbs, people took to the streets and staged pro-freedom demonstrations. Funeral prayers in absentia were offered for the martyred Mujahideen in Pampore, Tral and other areas. Indian troops and police personnel fired teargas shells and pallets at many places causing injuries to dozens of protesters.
Hurriyet leaders and organisations including Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Aasiya Andrabi, Zafar Akbar Butt, Bilal Siddiqui, Mahaz-e-Azadi and Jamaat-e-Islami paid glowing tributes to the martyrs.
Meanwhile, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference held various programmes in different areas of the occupied territory to mark the completion of 25 years to the mass rape incident of Kunanposhpora as Youm-e-Tahafuz Khawateen.
Indian troops had raped around a hundred women during a siege and search operation in Kunanposhpora area of Kupwara on the intervening night of February 22 and 23 in 1991. Hurriyet leaders including Javaid Ahmed Mir, Hilal Ahmed War, Shabbir Ahmed Dar and human rights activist, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, led demonstrations at Press Enclave in Srinagar to express solidarity with the victims of Kunanposhpora incident.
The students of Kashmir university staged demonstrations in the campus against the arrest of Kashmiri intellectual, Syed Abdur Rehman Gilani, and harassment of Kashmiri students by Indian police in New Delhi. The students raised high-pitched pro-freedom slogans.
One civilian was martyred and several others were injured when Indian police used brute force against peaceful protesters in Sarore Adda area of Samba district. The incident triggered forceful protests in the area.