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| Hurriyat clears field, says no to polls | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | May 21
In its keenly awaited annual show of strength, the moderate faction of separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference put at rest speculations over amalgam’s participation in the forthcoming assembly elections saying that polls are not any solution to the Kashmir.
This day was keenly awaited among the political circles as the Hurriyat leaders had already said to disclose their future strategy on the annual congregation. The moderate separatist alliance finally put to rest all the speculations about participation in the forthcoming assembly elections, when Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq categorically rejected poll participation.
Addressing a largely attended rally to commemorate the death anniversaries of the two senior separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone in Eidgah this afternoon, the APHC chairman said, "Elections have been held in Kashmir since 1947. But, these polls have failed to solve the problem in the past and will fail in future too. We are not for electoral politics. We are not interested in power."
Mirwaiz welcomed the resumption of talks between the two neighbouring countries.
He said, "We welcome the resumption of foreign minister-level talks between India and Pakistan. But without the involvement of Kashmiris, the issue cannot be resolved. The issue has to be resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir."
"I invite Indian and Pakistan prime ministers to hold talks in Srinagar [Images] to resolve the issue."
The APHC chairman demanded the release of all the detenues lodged in various jails inside and outside Kashmir. He demanded immediate lifting of the ban on Pakistan TV channels.
Mirwaiz Umar appealed senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who heads his own breakaway APHC group, Mohammad Yasin Malik, chairman of the JKLF (Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front) and Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference (PC) to join the moderate APHC fold.
Meanwhile, a strike call given by the Hurriyat Conference to mark the death anniversaries of two separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone, affected normal life here.
Government offices, educational institutions, banks and shops were shut and little traffic plied on roads. Reports from other towns said the call evoked partial to complete response Wednesday.
The Hurriyat is organising a rally here Wednesday afternoon. The rally would be held in Eidgah, where Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone are buried. It would be addressed by Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and other separatist leaders.
Gunmen shot Kashmir's chief priest, Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq this day in 1990 inside his house at Nageen.
Peoples Conference chairman Abdul Gani Lone was gunned down by separatist guerrillas on this day in 2002 during a rally to observe the 12th anniversary of the death of the late Mirwaiz in Eidgah grounds here. |
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