The Hurriyat and the J&K Peoples Conference (JKPC) on May 21 commemorated the death anniversaries of their party leaders, Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone, who were assassinated in two separate incidents on May 21 in 1990 and 2002 respectively.
A spokesman of the Hurriyat, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said that Molvi Farooq believed that inclusiveness and dialogue were the best way to address concerns and resolve conflicts. “But tragically, at the young age of 45, the great visionary leader’s life was abruptly and brutally ended and lost to intolerance and intrigue,” the Hurriyat spokesman said.
Justice for the dead
The J&K police recently claimed to have either arrested or killed all the accused in the case. Two accused were recently handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case.
The Hurriyat also paid tributes to over 50 civilians who died when the procession carrying the body of Molvi Farooq came under fire from the security forces in Srinagar’s Hawal area, and demanded “justice for these families”.
The Hurriyat also described JKPC founder Abdul Ghani Lone, killed in 2002 in Srinagar’s Eidgah area, as “a farsighted and fearless leader, who sacrificed his life for his belief in a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue”.
‘G-20 meet won’t change reality’
Commenting on Monday’s G-20 meeting in Srinagar, the Hurriyat said: “Conducting international summits in J&K to push a certain narrative will not change the reality of the need to address and resolve the lingering Kashmir conflict peacefully, best through dialogue among stakeholders, if peace and development of J&K is the goal.”
JKPC president Sajad Gani Lone, while paying tributes to Mr. Lone, said that his father had been killed for saying what he believed. “Those moments of helplessness in the face of brute violence persist even today. They are a grim reminder of bestiality and savagery where you violently silence a person because you don’t agree with his views. Regrettably, despite the passage of time, not a single person has been apprehended for the murder of the late Lone,” Mr. Lone said.
‘White collar killers’
Mr. Lone said that the Kashmir conflict revolves around two central groups of characters: the victims and the perpetrators. “One of the best tributes that we can possibly pay to our heroes is to never allow the perpetrators don the hat of the victims,” Mr. Lone said.
He warned that it was the passive murderers who posed the greatest danger, calling them ‘white collar killers’. “They are a part of the society. They are non-combatants. They don’t have a gun. But they conspire to kill by their evil words and deeds. They are the ones who make the loudest noises at the condolence ceremonies,” he added.
Shutdown in Srinagar
Parts of Srinagar’s old city, especially the market around Jamia Masjid, observed a spontaneous shutdown on the occasion. The security agencies have been opposing any shutdowns in Kashmir after August 5, 2019 and carry out preemptive measures to keep shops open in the Valley markets.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, also paid tributes to Mr. Farooq and Mr. Lone.
