Pakistan condemns India's 'brutal' use of force against Kashmiris

Protesters burn Indian flag in Muzaffarabad; two Indian policemen arrested for allegedly killing 16-year-old Kashmiri


Web Desk/afp April 19, 2015
PHOTO: AFP

MUZAFFARABAD: As protests against a crackdown on separatists in Indian Kashmir entered a third day on Sunday, Pakistan condemned the brutal use of force by Indian security forces resulting in the death of two Kashmiri youngsters.

“We condemn the brutal use of force by Indian security forces against peaceful and unarmed protesters, resulting in killing of two Kashmiri young men,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said in a statement.

“Pakistan has expressed its deep concerns at the increase in systematic human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir,” she added.

Police in the Indian sector shot dead a 16-year-old boy on Saturday during a demonstration on the outskirts of its main city Srinagar, as a separatist strike shut down the Himalayan region on a second day of violent clashes.

Read: Police shoot 16-year-old protester dead in Indian Kashmir

Hundreds of people in Azad Kashmir burnt India’s flag and an effigy of its prime minister on Sunday in protest at a crackdown on separatists in the Indian sector of the divided region.

Refugees from Indian-ruled Kashmir rallied under the banner of “Pasban-e-Hurriyat” (Protectors of Freedom) in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir.

Read: Pakistani flag at separatist rallies will not be tolerated: Indian Kashmir CM

Many children also took part, displaying placards reading: “Go India Go back (from Kashmir)” and “Release Kashmiri leaders”.

"The arrest of All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders on false charges is also matter of concern," the spokesperson said.

Aslam said that brutality and coercion will not succeed in suppressing the aspirations and struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.

"Pakistan has repeatedly stressed the need for peaceful resolution of the dispute through meaningful dialogue between the two countries," she added.

Indian Kashmir has been rocked by violent protests for the past week after the brother of a top rebel leader was killed by the army near the town of Tral in the south of the Kashmir valley.

Shops, businesses and schools remained shut on Saturday across several towns in the state in response to a strike led by top separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani against what he called "state terrorism" and "poisonous propaganda" by Indian media.

Authorities have put all top separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent them from leading protests.

On Friday 30, people, mainly police officers, were injured as pro-Pakistan demonstrators in Srinagar set fire to an Indian flag and hurled rocks at them during a protest at the arrest of another separatist leader.

Masarat Alam was detained early Friday, two days after he chanted pro-Pakistan slogans at a peaceful separatist rally.

Read: 14 injured as clashes erupt in Srinagar over Masarat Alam's arrest

Alam rose to prominence in 2010 when he organised a series of mass protests before being detained without charge for four years under controversial public safety legislation.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep across Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan region.

Although several rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan, street protests have become the main mode of opposition to Indian rule.

Deadly violence has declined steadily during the last decade but armed encounters between separatists and government forces still occur regularly.

Two Indian policemen arrested

Two Indian policemen were arrested on Sunday for alleged involvement in the killing of a 16-year-old boy in the disputed region of Kashmir, police said.

According to the Associated Press, police said in a statement that they arrested two policemen after a preliminary investigation revealed one had ordered the other to fire his rifle at stone-throwing protesters in the northwestern village of Narbal on Saturday "in violation of laid down SOP (standard operating procedure)."

However, locals and rights groups have claim such investigations rarely yield results and are aimed only at calming public anger.

Relatives and witnesses have contested the official story of the boy's death, saying he had been picked up by authorities and was shot on the side of the road while in custody.

COMMENTS (18)

Mirza | 8 years ago | Reply For the past one month Saudi monarchy is bombing the capital city of a sovereign country Yemen and Pakistani army is happy to help them in this aggression. Yet we condemn the killing of a few people in our neighboring countries! Kashmir is not a sovereign country and India is not bombing its capital city without any mercy. We talk about Houti as if they are the foreign aggressors and Saudi are local Yemeni being attacked. What would we say if Israel starts bombing Arab capitals? When are we ever going to be honest and have a sense of proportionality?
faisal | 8 years ago | Reply use of force is condemn-able anywhere but condemnation coming from those who use artillery guns and aircraft against population is a irony. One kid dying in police firing has cause one state on stand still and hit front pages of newspapers.where as in some countries finding missing persons bodies is way of life. India has way to go as far as human rights go, Pakistan has yet to start.
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