SRINAGAR: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over observed the Right to Self-determination Day on Saturday, to remind the world community that the UN resolutions on Kashmir remain unimplemented even after the passage of seven decades. According to Kashmir Media Service, on this day in 1949, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution, acknowledging the Kashmiris' right of self-determination.
The Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in a statement urged the international community to fulfill its commitment and hold promised plebiscite in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Other Hurriyat leaders and organizations including Hilal Ahmed War, Farida Bahenji, Abdul Samad Inqilabi, Javaid Ahmed Mir, Imtiaz Ahmed Reshi and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party in their statements demanded of the UN to implement its resolutions on Kashmir.
The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, in a statement in Srinagar said that Indian Home Minister, Rajnath Singh's recent remarks were an open admission of the representative character of the Hurriyat leaders and that the Kashmir dispute could not be resolved without them.
Rajnath had stated in the Parliament that the Indian government could have resolved the stalemate in Kashmir had the Hurriyat leadership not shut the doors on the all-party delegation that visited the occupied territory in 2016. However, Syed Ali Gilani emphasized that India was never serious to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue and it had never extended official offer for talks.
He also reiterated the call for shutdown in Sopore on Sunday, given by the Joint Resistance Leadership to pay tributes to the victims of massacre carried out by Indian troops in the town on 6th January 1993.
Thousands of people marched towards Aripal area of Tral in Pulwama district, after Indian troops launched a cordon and search operation to nab some youth. The troops blasted a residential house with explosive material and reportedly killed a youth during the operation. Earlier, an Indian soldier was injured in an attack in the same area.
Indian police and troops fired bullets, pellets and teargas shells to disperse the protesters, injuring several of them. Severe clashes between the protesters and the Indian forces' personnel were witnessed in the area. Two other youth were injured after Indian troops used brute force against the mourners heading home after burying a woman in Sherabad area of Tral.