India martyrs three youth in IOK

SRINAGAR (India): In Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK), Indian troops in their fresh act of State terrorism martyred three Kashmiri youth in Hakoora area of Islamabad district, on Monday, thousands of people defying curfew and other restrictions reached Soura and Kokernag on motorcycles and on foot to participate in the funerals of the martyred youth.

According to Kashmir media service (KMS), the youth were shot dead during a cordon and search operation. The martyred youth were identified as Eesa Fazli, Owais Shafi and Sabzar Ahmad Sofi.

The killings led to forceful ‘anti-India’ protests followed by “massive clashes” between Indian forces and angry youth in several places of the IOK.

Complete shutdown was observed in Srinagar, Shopian, Islamabad and other areas of the occupied valley against the killings. All shops, business establishments and schools were closed while traffic was off the road.

Class work at the university of Kashmir was suspended and all examinations scheduled, on Monday, were postponed. The IOK authorities suspended internet and train services in the valley.

The bodies of the youth were taken to their ancestral graveyards amid ‘pro-freedom’ and ‘anti-India’ slogans. Over 6 rounds of funerals were held for Owais Shafi in Kokernag.

The IOK authorities placed Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house detention and arrested Muhammad Yasin Malik, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza and Javed Ahmad Mir to prevent them from participating in funeral prayers.

The Hurriyat forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement in Srinagar ridiculed the statement of puppet IOK finance minister Haseeb Drabu that Jammu and Kashmir was not a political, but a social issue. The forum said such falsehood is part of the propaganda being waged to dilute the reality of the Kashmir dispute.

On the other hand, the united nations (UN) high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein during a meeting with over 500 representatives of the civil society across the globe in Geneva termed the situation in IOK as a serious concern for the international community.

The event was held on the sidelines of the 37th session of the human rights council (HRC). Kashmiri representative Syed Faiz Naqshbandi while addressing the event demanded the appointment of a special UN representative on Kashmir.