KL Report
SRINAGAR
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) on Thursday said that elections are a military exercise being carried out by India in Jammu and Kashmir after every five years.
Referring to Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam’s statement that elections in Jammu and Kashmir are not a substitute for plebiscite, Mirwaiz told KNS: “We have always maintained that elections are no elections, Kashmir is an internationally acknowledged dispute which needs to be resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said that the focus of Hurriyat Conference (M) has been how to strengthen the Kashmir movement and how to achieve the right to self determination. “It is our principle stand and we will continue to our struggle for right to self determination till its logical conclusion,” Mirwaiz added.
Asked about the polling in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, the chairman Hurriyat (M) said that the negative response shown by people in South Kashmir to polls should act as eye opener for Indian leadership. “By distancing themselves from the staged polls conducted under heavy military presence, Kashmiris have once again expressed their unflinching resolve and commitment towards the freedom struggle,” Mirwaiz told KNS.
He said that today’s response should also make whom he called ‘local state collaborators’ to understand that right to self determination was irreplaceable. Mirwaiz said the way people in South Kashmir have resisted the ‘strong pressure of Indian troops’ by remaining indoors on the on the polling day it has been once again proved that Kashmiris have no interest in such ‘a futile process’.
“The forum stated that Kashmiris have given countless sacrifices for the movement and those can’t be compromised by the so called electoral politics.” He also hailed the people of Anantnag and other areas of South Kashmir saying that they were standing at a crucial juncture regarding their political future. “The best thing would be to reject polls under the shadow of occupation and show complete resolve towards the freedom struggle.”
