Thousands of Muslims poured into the streets, shouting, "We want freedom!" and "Allah is great," after offering Eid prayers in the northern town of Sopore.
The protests were led by hardline separatist Syed Ali Geelani following the Eid prayers. Geelani addressed a huge gathering in Sopore's main square, urging India to end its "occupation of Kashmir".
"People of India are our brothers. We have no animosity towards them. We only urge India to end its occupation of Kashmir," Geelani said, as mainly young Kashmiri men chanted: "Go India, go back!"
Sopore was once the bastion of pro-Pakistan militants but in recent years the guerrilla presence has lessened following the start of a peace process between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.
In Srinagar, meanwhile, police used tear gas to disperse crowds after another top separatist and leading cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressed thousands of worshippers as pro-freedom slogans rang out.
Farooq later urged India's leading anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare to "also voice concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir".
"People like Hazare should help us in ending human rights violations by troops in our state," Farooq told the crowd.
Anti-India sentiments run high in Kashmir where security forces are often accused of human rights violations by the local population. Indian officials say they investigate every claim and punish the guilty.
Hazare ended his 12-day fast last weekend when the Indian government conceded to the former army truck driver's demands for tough anti-corruption legislation.
Kashmir is in the grip of a more than 20-year-old insurgency against Indian rule that has left more than 47,000 people dead.
Indian Kashmir remains under heavy military control but this summer has not seen the cycle of violence and strict curfews that hit the disputed Himalayan region in recent years.
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@GetRidOfFeudalPolitics: Th answer lies in my first comment itself. We also want our homes and properties back. Afterall all our forefathers had lived in Pakistan for generations and one fine morning they were asked to leave because of their religion. Why this special treatment for muslim Kashmiis alone? Just because they follow the religion you follow? The solution to this is to do what China did in Tibet and you did in Baluchistan, KP and POK.
Why Pakistan want Kashmir?They think because of two nation theory Hindus and Muslim can not live together,they constitute two nation.So they need to be separated.If two nation theory still hold good than what will happen to Indian Muslim.If India ever let Kashmir go than Muslim of India also have to leave India.
@ Tony Singh: Again why are you bringing Pakistan or religion into this. The question here is why do Kashmiris not want to be Indian and why is India allowed to get away with gross human rights violations and oppression in Kashmir. Which other multi ethnic society has problems such as we have in Kashmir. Please lift the veil of lies and denial from your eyes. Religion as state policy may be a failed idea but if one is to accept what is happening in Kashmir as part and parcel of multi-ethnicity then your multi-ethnicity is also a gross failure. You are no better than your british masters. Finally, Pakistan, from what I hear was fine before Zia destroyed us with his barbaric laws. We will see better times where there is no discrimination based on religion or anything else.
If we are genuinely concerned about peace there is a more humane solution that is logical extension of idea of creation of Pakistan.
return POK and China occupied parts to india continue controlled exchange of population officially. I.e Pakistan should give citizenship to any Muslims in india who don't consider themselves Indians and similarly india should accept any non Muslims/ ex Muslims from Pakistan who feel unsafe there. both of it won't be big number anyway.@GetRidOfFeudalPolitics: There are problems in all multiethnic societies.However Religion is a private affair and mixing it with statescraft can only bring trouble. Pakistan is a glaring example.
@ owais from srinagar - please be independent. We Pakistanis do not need the Kashmiris who leach of both Pakistan and India to join us. We're already sick of AJK and their double votes and dirty politics. Pakistan has enough issues to deal with. The last thing we need is a bunch of poor, illiterate Kashmirs joining our nation. I don't know why India doesn't just let you go though. What a waste of its own resources and money. Too much pride I suppose.
Imagine if India and Pakistan (I know we'll never give up on the issue) gave up Kashmir and let it be independent. Kashmir would just go bankrupt and be a totally useless country with no real infrastructure, no educational institutions to boast of, etc.
More Muslims are killed in Pakistan every day by fellow Muslims than in India in a year. Talk of killings in Karachi before you advocate for Kashmir. Most problems in Kashmir are of Pakistan's making. Every week Muslims are killed in Pakistani mosques. Half of Pakistani political leaders find Pakistani risky to live and therefor live in London. So many times Altaf Hussai has said that creation of Pakistan was the biggest blunder in history and only other day he requested India if she will accept Muhajirs back. Looks like Pakistanis are living in a make believe world. Wake up guys and have a good look at your own country before you point fingers. Whole know how untrustworthy Pakistan is. Come out of slumber..
listen india u can kill us but u cannott break us we donot want to live witrh u we want independence and long live pakistan
@Tony Singh and thinking Indian: I realize that religious divide does not make sense. However I believe it must have been necessary at the time if the two peoples did not get along. Anyway, the Kashmiris must be well aware of the problems they will face if they declare independence or are annexed with Pakistan. And they must be well aware that India is booming. And yet still they want to separate from India and are ready to make the sacrifices needed for separation. So what might be the reason. I think at least one of them would be oppression and lack of justice. Your army is never held accountable for their crimes. And you have laws like AFSPA. We hear of torture, rape and disappearances repeatedly. What do you expect? Take away their grievances and they might actually want to live in India.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Swaminomics/entry/why-are-mass-graves-in-kashmir-so-pass%C3%A9
@Aryan
I agree, the Kashmiri muslims (from the valley) who wish to have more freedom can cross the LOC to POK and have all the freedom they wish and desire. The borders of J&K will not be redrawn again no matter what slogan the Gilani crowd raises. They tried violence, it hasnt worked, they tried stone pelting it hasnt worked either. I doubt if the Gilani crowd has the wherewithal to do an Anna Hazare type agitation. They are not Hindus and dont have it in their psyche to do it ..is as simple. Even if they do go on a hunger strike, the GoI wouldnt yield an inch.
@GetRidOfFeudalPolitics: You are wrong. I guess many Pakistanis and Pakistan Govt. wants Kashmir to be joined with them.
Some practical questions:
1). What will happen to the Thousands of Kashmiri youths working in other Indian states if Kashmir goes out of India?
2). What will happen to the properties owned by Kashmiris in other Indian states? and the properties owned by GOI in Kashmir?
3). How the Kashmir will survive on it's own economy? Currently it is supported by GOI. After going out of India, to whom Kashmir will extend their begging bowl?
Survival will be difficult if Kashmir goes alone.
I am a Hyderabadi muslim who does not see any bright future for Kashmiri Muslims if they go out of India. I am not able to understand what type of freedom they want further apart from current freedom enjoyed by them which is more than that of Hyderabadis?
Kashmiris shouldn't think emotionally but should think practically and economically.
I request Kashmiri seperatist leaders to contest in elections and if they win, can have dialogues with GOI with more demandable position. Will Geelani sahab or Mirwaiz sahab are confident enough to contest elections?
I request ET to publish this comment, as an counter argument for practical problems.
There is no Problem in Balochistan other than few paid agents backed by Indian Agencies .... India has been busy from the begining in destablising Pakistan...Once India comes out of its Frustration and stops aiding miscreants in Balochistan and Afghanistan, there will be no law and order problem in Pakistan.
@GetRidOfFeudalPolitics: Then the question is what do you do with Muslims who stayed behind in India.? And they are patriotic India muslims. The foolishness of our predecessors should not be repeated. No more redrawing of boundaries. Period. Those who want to live elsewhere are welcome to do so. Afterall people migrate to US/UK /Australia for better future. They can migrate to Pakistan too.
@ Manoj: A large portion of Pakistanis also do not want kashmir to be a part of Pakistan. We just want to end the genocide there, and the will of the people to reign supreme, be it India, Pakistan or autonomy.
@ Tony Singh: Exactly. And the partition was made on religious lines. So where should Kashmir have gone?
Those kashmiris who do not want to be part of India should migrate to Pakistan. Same as our grandparents and parents did. They migrated from Pakistan. One cannot have a special consideration just because they are muslims. One cannot look at Kashmir issue without looking into issue of partition itself.
Mark the change in slogan. In Sayaed ali shah gilinali a know hardliner who believes in merger of Kashmir in Pakistan failed to influence his people to chant the slogan " Kashmir Banega Pakistan". Now his followers are also asking for independence. This is huge change in the attitude of new generation Kashmiri youth and certainly a setback to Pakistan.
Now pakistan needs to decide whether it wants an independent Kashmir? Kashmiri youth do not see pakistan as an option now and an independent land locked Kashmir will certainly play games with India, China and Pakistan by playing each one against each other. It will be more headache for Pakistan than an Indian Kashmir.
learn how 2 compare ....doz nt mean few baloch want separation so all of them want it.,.....we r nt killing baloch ppl ...bt every 1 nows wht happens in kashmir.......u r country is a disgrace 2 countries having democracy..........no one listens 2 kashmiries ..we listen 2 baloch ..negotiate wid them.......and all we ask is dont challenge the gov .....
And btw we dont see very many news items about balochistan in the international press but kashmir is always there.
@ N.S : This is a report by AFP not tribune. Its not Pakistanis who are writing about kashmir. So why are you bringing balochistan into this?
=D lol which balochistan...?
mass graves are found in indian kashmir civil unrest in indian kashmir international dispute, indian kashmir...
dont justify indian agression in kashmir by pak's so-called occupation of baluchistan...atleast we dont have 100,000 army personnel deployed in balochistan..! our army does not massacre balochis on the streets...rapes their mothers and sisters! you always bring balochistan in kashmir debate! just because you have no other way of proving indian occupation of kashmir! even on eid day kashmiris are heading against their illegal indian oppression grow up indians...first make own home better before commenting on others..look out of ur big window of hatred! awesome tit for tat policy! they dont cry for freedom everyday! they celebrate every independence day with rest of pakistanis few handfull balochis dont represent the whole province...thanks to God we have many balochis who are dedicated to pakistan and we dearly love them in return for their efforts and dedication to pak! Baluchistan zindabad, Pakistan zindabad, Indian stupidities murdabad..! <3
Thousands of Muslims poured into the streets, shouting, “We want freedom!”
India says, "You have freedom!!! You are free to leave India as soon as you want. So, where is the problem?!!
@ N.S
nt all baloch cry 4 it ..its only the BLA that wants a separate state so that they can control al the resources and maintain the feudal status they have ..sorry bt 70% of the kashmiries want independence...stop killing kashmiris.......
balochistan people cry for freedom every day in Pakistan with its countinuous use of resources and neglecting its development whereas in Kashmire is growning with heavy growth rate