Kashmir Voice

Srinagar, July 15 (Kashmir Voice): In occupied Kashmir, the Kashmir Working Journalist Association (KWJA) and Kashmir Journalist Association have taken strong note of the summoning of a Srinagar-based journalist Aaqib Javed by the India’s National Investigative Agency (NIA) to New Delhi for questioning, terming it as intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri journalist.
According to media sources, Aaqib Javed, an accredited journalist working with daily Kashmir Observer has been summoned to New Delhi by NIA, notorious for implicating Kashmiris in fake cases. A joint statement from the associations in Srinagar while condemning the move, said “the summoning reflects highhanded approach of the Indian agency to ascribe motive to journalists’ professional work, and summon them like criminals.” “It is also highly regrettable that Aaqib has been summoned, out of station, at a very short notice, without giving a damn to how he manages to do it,” statement said, adding: “The NIA’s ham-handed approach towards journalism has earlier also been exposed in its detention of the Kashmiri photojournalist Kamran Yousuf, last year, in whose case, the NIA even tried to define journalism by its own skewed standards.” Meanwhile, Aaqib Javed was questioned for three hours by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi, yesterday. He has been summoned again today. It is reported that Aaqib, an accredited journalist, was summoned by the investigating agency to its Delhi office for questioning in a sedition case filed against Dukhtaraan-e-Millat chief Aasiya Andrabi and two of her aides. KASHMIR VOICE

New Delhi, July 15 (Kashmir Voice): A leader of Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party has warned Indian Muslims that they won’t be allowed to go on Hajj pilgrimage if they create obstacles in the construction of Ram Temple on the site of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
According to media sources, the BJP MLA, Brijbhushan Rajput, from Charkhari, Uttar Pradesh, in video message said, “The Muslim community should respect the feelings on the issue of Ram Temple of one billion Hindus in the country. If they don’t do so, we will not respect their feelings too.” “If Muslims create hindrance or stop construction of Ram Temple, their Hajj pilgrimage will also be stopped,” Rajput said. Rajput demanded that the minority status of Muslims should be repealed and the subsidy given on Hajj pilgrimage should be scrapped. After putting up the video on his Facebook page, Rajput was quoted by Hindustan Times saying it was not his statement but that of 100 crore Hindus. Justifying his stand he said if Muslims were taking it as a threat then let it be. “I completely stand by what I have said in the video,” he added. Meanwhile, a litigant in the Ayodhya temple-mosque land dispute case told the Supreme Court in New Delhi that the Babri Masjid was destroyed by the Hindu Taliban just like the demolition of the Buddha statue at Bamiyan in Afghanistan. “No law or the Constitution allows destruction of religious structures of any faith,” senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the legal heirs of M Siddiq, the original litigant who died, told a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer. KASHMIR VOICE

Birmingham, July 15 (Kashmir Voice): British Kashmiris men, women and children assembled at Victoria Square in front of lord mayor`s office in Birmingham to join the rally organised to pay tribute to all Kashmiri martyrs with special reference to the brutality of the autocratic Dogra ruler on 13th of July 1931.
According to media sources, Kashmiri representative Professor Nazir Ahmad Shawl, who is also Chairman of South Asia Centre for Peace and Human Rights on the occasion paid glowing tributes to the martyrs. He reiterated that the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs would be honored by completing the noble mission. Shawl emphasized that the echo of the sacrifices was being heard in different fora. “The remarks of UN Secretary General echoing UN high commissioner’s report and calling it the voice of UN is a slap in Indian brutal face,” he said and declared that “we have to remain firm as our right to self determination is non-negotiable.” Stewart Richards, President of Anti-War Coalition, expressed his solidarity and support to the self determination struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Hurriyat leader and Secretary General of Kashmir Tehreeki Khawateen, Shamim Shawl called 13th July a memorable day and an important milestone in the history of Kashmir. Mohammed Ghalib, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe asked the participants to register their protest with the elected members of the parliament and councils and keep them informed about the latest human rights situation in occupied Kashmir. Fahim Kiani, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir, UK, spoke about the militarization of the occupied state which is the highest militarized area of the world. Najeeb Afsar, member of the organising committee, concluded the programme by thanking the participants. Others, who spoke at the function included Khawja Suleiman and Zafar Qureshi. KASHMIR VOICE

Srinagar, July 15 (Kashmir Voice): In occupied Kashmir, Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Syed Ali Gilani and the Hurriyat forum Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have condemned the suicide bomb attack on an election rally in Mustang, Baluchistan (Pakistan) that claimed lives of over 130 people and left over 100 seriously wounded.
According to media sources, Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar said those involved in the attack are beastly enemies of the entire humanity. “It is a well-thought-out conspiracy to defame and malign Pakistan which faces multiple problems and cross border terrorism,” Gilani said and termed it as a result of deep conspiracy against Pakistan. He said, “Terrorism in every form and place is condemnable and no religion particularly Islam has any place for actions like these. The people involved in this attack can never be the followers of Islam.” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement, while condemning the attack, said terror has no religion. “The pain of losing loved ones can well be felt by Kashmiris who see the dance of death and who shoulder the coffins of their loved ones almost every day. The people of Kashmir feel pained over the loss of precious lives in Baluchistan terror strike as people of Valley are themselves primary target of worst form of state terrorism,” he added. The Mirwaiz extended his heartfelt condolences to government of Pakistan and its people saying that people of Kashmir and the entire pro-freedom leadership stand with the country in this hour of grief. Meanwhile, commenting over the UN Secretary General António Guterres’ reference to the UNHRC report on human rights situation in Kashmir, he expressed hope that the world body would take steps and intervene to resolve the long pending dispute. KASHMIR VOICE