APHC condemns house arrests as Gilani new TH chief
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

SRINAGAR (India held-Kashmir): The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has strongly denounced continued house arrest of Syed Ali Gilani and Shabbir Ahmad Shah on the 4th consecutive day today and detention of Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shaikh Abdul Aziz and Muhammad Saleem Zargar.

In a statement in Srinagar, the APHC spokesman described these arrests as violative of all civilized and democratic norms. He deplored that the liberation leaders are being prevented from exercising their democratic right of carrying on boycott campaign against farcical by-polls.

The leaders and activists of APHC constituent, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League staged protest demonstration in front of the central jail Srinagar against shifting of their party Chairman, Shaikh Abdul Aziz to the jail.

Strike on Wednesday in IHK

In occupied Kashmir, total strike will be observed in Pahalgam and Batmaloo on Wednesday, the day by-polls drama is being staged in these constituencies.

The call for strike was given by the APHC Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani from his house arrest in Srinagar today. He said that the strike would signify total rejection by Kashmiris of the polls drama. He emphasised that these farcical by-polls are intended to sabotage the Kashmir liberation struggle.

Kashmiri Pandits should boycott polls ploy: Bazaz

Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Front Chairman, Pandit Bhushan Bazaz urged upon the Kashmiri Pandits to stay away from the by-election ploy in occupied Kashmir and completely boycott the polls drama.

Bhushan Bazaz while addressing Pandits at migrant camps in New Delhi emphasised that Kashmiri Pandits must keep at a distance from the whole process as farcical polls were no substitute for the right to self-determination. Boycotting elections was a moral responsibility and it favoured the Pandits' interests, he added.

Democratic Front Chief said that so-called elections have failed to resolve Kashmir issue which has been lingering for the last 57 years and in the meanwhile around 90,000 Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives. Bhushan Bazaz stressed that Pandits should stay away from the so-called elections as polls offered no solution to the Kashmir tangle.

Bhushan Bazaz addressed Pandits community at migrant camps located in Ali Ganj, Kailash colony and Mangolpuri in Delhi. This was his visit to the camps after the murder of his son Guru Bazaz in Canada by unknown assailants on June 19, 2004.

Gilani elected Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat J&K

In a meeting in Srinagar of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Ali Gilani was unanimously elected chairman of the party for three years, through secret ballot. All members of the party took part in the meeting.

Twenty-one members of the Majlis-e-Shoora of the party were announced at the meeting while the Chairman was authorized to nominate four other members of the Shura. The Central Majlis-e-Shura will thus consist of 25 members. Election by Majlis Shura of General Secretary and District Presidents will take place in a few days.

The party spokesman said, a member of the party Muhammad Afzal Lone was arrested at Haanjan in Kulgam area. Hence, he could not attend the meeting. His relatives are being kept unaware of his whereabouts.●