Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 23: In the wake of killing of a Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) activist Naeem Butt, son of Muhammad Sharif, resident of Chota Galla (Poonch) by Pakistani forces in POK, fissures have erupted in the separatist leadership in Kashmir.
Sources said the JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has conveyed his displeasure to Hurriyat leaders for their silence over the "cold blooded" murder of Malik's colleague in PoK.
Interestingly, Malik, Mirwaiz and Geelani have constituted the so called Joint Resistance Leadership or JRL, which is spearheading anti-India protests in Kashmir.
Sources said Malik had a heated argument with his JRL colleagues over their silence on the killing of Naeem Butt.
Sources said Geelani expressed his inability to openly condemn the killing saying he cannot speak against Pakistan as he has "sworn alliance" to the neighboring country. The Mirwaiz, on the other hand, doesn't want any controversy with Pakistan.
"The problem is that many of Hurriyat leaders are funded by Pakistan and raising voice against this country will mean inviting undue troubles, because militancy is at all times high" said a Hurriyat source on the condition of anonymity.
On March 16, the JKLF had given a call for a long march from Tattapani (Kotli) to Madarpur (Poonch) and some 1500 activists made an attempt to reach Madarpur. At Sehar Kakuta Bridge, the Pakistani forces opened fire on the protesters. Naeem Butt, sustained wounds and died after four days at a hospital. His relatives subsequently staged a protest on March 22, by placing his coffin on the road, demanding judicial inquiry.
Last week, thousands of people had joined the march to express solidarity with the people suffering from cross-LoC shelling.
However, the Pakistani forces had stopped them at Sehar Kakuta and opened fire on peaceful protesters.
While the Hurriyat is the first to condemn any use of force against protestesters in Kashmir, the separatist amalgam is silent over killings by Pakistani forces. |
