Mirwaiz slams praising of Indian army officer who used man as human shield

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GEO NEWS
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SRINAGAR: Widespread anti-India demonstrations were staged in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) on Friday to protest the Indian army chief's awarding of the army officer who used a civilian as a human shield in Badgam last month.

An Indian army vehicle using a Kashmiri youth as a human shield by tying him against the jeep’s bonnet. Photo: File 
 

Addressing a gathering at the historic Jamia Mosque, All Parties Hurriyet Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that awarding the criminal Indian army officer for his inhuman act vindicates his own stance that Indian forces are involved in war crimes and are patronised and encouraged by the Indian leadership.

Also read: Indian army uses Kashmiri youth as human shield; video goes viral

The joint separatist leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and Shabbir Ahmed Shah in their statements in Srinagar have also appealed to the United Nations, International Court of Justice, and world human rights organisations to take cognisance of Indian atrocities on the innocent people of IoK.

People took to the streets in Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal, Sopore, Baramulla, Islamabad, Pulwama, Hajin, Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipore and other areas, after the joint resistance leadership made the call for demonstrations.

Read more: FIR filed against Indian army for using Kashmiri man as human shield

The protests were led by Hurriyet leaders including Mirwaiz, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Qazi Yasir, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Showkat Ahmed Bakhshi and Raja Merajuddin Kalwal.

The protesters raised pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan, and anti-India slogans. They also waved Pakistani flags at various places. Indian police resorted to teargas shelling in different areas, triggering severe clashes between the protesters and police personnel. Many people were injured in the police actions.

Thousands of people assembled outside Jamia mosque in Nowhatta area of Srinagar and demanded freedom from Indian subjugation.

The Indian authorities continued to place Gilani and Shabbir Ahmed Shah under house arrest to prevent them from leading the demonstrations. The leaders were not allowed to offer Friday prayers as well.

Hurriyet leaders Zafar Akbar Butt and Jahangir Ghani Butt, in their statements, expressed serious concern over increasing border tension between Pakistan and India. They said that peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute was essential for ensuring cordial relations between the two countries.