In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops, in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred two more Kashmiri youth in Islamabad district.
The troops killed the youth during a violent crackdown operation at Kanelwan in Bijbehara area of the district. One of the martyred youth was identified as Yawar Nissar Shergujri.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has strongly reacted to the recent remarks of Indian Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, wherein he said that implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the territory marks economic integration.
The APHC in a statement issued in Srinagar while refuting Arun Jaitley’s assertion said that integration of disputed Jammu and Kashmir with India was never possible. “Indian authorities through these measures are attempting to alter the demographic status of Jammu and Kashmir. These measures are unacceptable and we will fight them tooth and nail,” it said.
The statement said that Indian authorities on one hand were involved in continued bloodshed and on the other, were employing services of National Investigation Agency (NIA) like agencies to muzzle genuine voices of pro-freedom people in Kashmir. Criticizing the application of GST in the territory, it said that both GST and NIA were forced with muscle and might.
The APHC said that the business fraternity was badly affected by the implementation of GST and added that the Indian authorities have virtually waged war on people in Kashmir. It assured all concerned quarters of its active support against these arbitrary laws and measures.
The statement said that pro-India PDP was facilitating these laws and functioning of NIA like agencies. It maintained that the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir could not be changed by enforcing NIA, implementing GST, draconian law like Public Safety Act (PSA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and making people of occupied Kashmir hostage on gun point. It pointed out that Jammu and Kashmir is not an issue related to development, rather it is a problem related to political future of 15 million people.
The APHC said, Arun Jaitley and other policymakers of India better know that they can’t ignore the sentiments of Kashmiri people and will have to acknowledge the Kashmiris’ aspirations.
The APHC urged the UN and international community to play their role in the settlement of Kashmir dispute by ascertaining the aspirations of Kashmiri people about their political future. It is the only key to solution and put a halt to continuous bloodshed and uncertainty in South Asia, it added.
