Released at last: ‘Peace at gun point doesn’t last long’

Religious scholar says occupation authorities imposed peace in Kashmir Valley by caging pro-freedom leaders.

ISLAMABAD: Noted religious scholar and the Ummat-e-Islamia Chief, Qazi Yasir, who was recently released after 14 months of illegal detention, has said he was kept with notorious criminals in jail for more than a month.

He told reporters of his ‘horrible’ experience during confinement with notorious criminals including murderers and smugglers, at Kot Bhalwal jail. He stated that the detention of more than 100 youth, aged between 20 to 30, most of them students, in Kot Bhalwal was more agonising.

Yasir maintained that the occupation authorities had imposed peace in the Kashmir Valley by caging the pro-freedom leaders and youth in different jails of the territory.  “Peace imposed at gun point does not last long. By muzzling the voice of the people, the puppet administration is creating a serious situation,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th,  2011.