LONDON: Chairman of Kashmir Campaign Global Zaffar Ahmad Quraishi on Sunday said that India’s Republic Day celebrations stand in sharp contrast to what he described as continuing curbs on civil liberties in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press statement issued in London ahead of January 26, Quraishi referred to recent reporting by Reuters which said Kashmiri journalists were summoned by police and made to sign undertakings not to “disturb peace” after reporting on the monitoring and profiling of mosques and religious institutions.
He said press organisations had strongly criticised the move, calling it an effort to intimidate journalists and suppress independent reporting.
Quraishi also drew attention to restrictions imposed on religious and political leaders in the occupied territory, including senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. He said the Mirwaiz’s movement had once again been restricted, preventing him from carrying out his religious duties, which he described as a clear indication of limits on religious freedom.
He further highlighted what he termed the misuse of stringent laws, referring to the recent conviction by a Delhi court of Kashmiri women leaders Aasiya Andrabi, Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen after nearly eight years in detention.
Quraishi noted that the court did not link them to any specific act, but convicted them on charges of conspiracy and association under India’s counter-terrorism legislation, with sentencing yet to be announced.
Quraishi said democratic standards are judged by the protection of media freedom, religious rights and due legal process, adding that counter-terrorism laws should not be used to justify collective punishment of the Kashmiri people.
