Observe complete shutdown against Kashmir killings today: JRL

Srinagar: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik while strongly condemning the killing of a youth Muhammad Saleem Malik in Noorbagh area of Srinagar in the wee hours on Thursday called for complete shutdown today (Friday).
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, JRL also condemned the fresh arrest spree of resistance leadership in the name of creating environment for civic polls and the frequent CASOs across the length and breadth of Kashmir, especially south Kashmir and called for a complete shutdown and protests on September 28 (Friday).
The Leadership said that one hand the drama of holding civic polls is being enacted which always have been conducted under a massive military operation and on the other hand, massive crackdown is being launched on the resistance leadership by slapping them with PSA and lodging them in Jammu prisons and also selectively killing the youth.
The leadership paid rich tributes to Muhammad Saleem Malik of Noorbagh and the killing of two armed youth in Panzan Budgam and another armed youth in Gasigund Dooru, Anantnag alleging that creating a fear psychosis in the minds of people and then holding polls under the barrel of gun is not going to yield anything for Government of India as people of Kashmir who are committed to the goal of freedom have already rejected the election bogey and won’t be befooled by this farcical exercise. The Leadership said that feeling frustrated by the commitment of people towards the right to self determination, New Delhi and its forces in Kashmir are resorting to open aggression which includes killing and maiming innocent people of Kashmir.
The Leadership said that the helplessness of lakhs of forces in Kashmir has come to fore as they have now starting a fresh spate of killing innocents and launching frequent search operations where in people of all ages of asked to come out of their homes and to stay under open sky. This all, the leadership said, signifies the acceptance of defeat of forces in Kashmir.
The leadership said that stubborn approach of New Delhi towards the historic perspective of Kashmiri dispute and ignoring the ground realities have resulted in further deterioration of situation in Kashmir. He said keeping the main issue lingering is neither in the interest of India nor Pakistan as the two countries have fought three major wars in the past on Kashmir issue and the main reason of bitterness between the two nuclear powers is only Kashmir dispute. The leadership said it is high time that instead of resorting to iron fist policy and military might to crush the genuine struggle of Kashmiris, the GoI must shun its rigid approach and take positive steps towards resolving the decades old Kashmir dispute for the everlasting peace in the south Asia.