APHC calls for shutdown on July 13 “Martyrs’ Day”

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has called for a complete shutdown in occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of 22 Kashmiris who were martyred by the armed forces of Dogra Maharaja on July 13 in 1931.

The APHC leadership in a statement issued in Srinagar appealed to all freedom-loving people to also conduct a march towards the Mazar-e-Shuhada at Naqshband Sahib in Srinagar to offer Fateha for the departed souls on the day. These martyrs were part of thousands of people who had assembled outside the Central Jail, Srinagar, during the court proceedings against one Abdul Qadeer who had asked the people to defy the Dogra rule on July 13, 1931. At the time of Namaz-e-Zuhr, a young man started calling Azaan and was shot dead by the Dogra soldiers. Another youth took his place and he too was martyred by the troops. Thus, 22 youth sacrificed their lives till the completion of Azaan. Since then, the Kashmiris are observing the July 13 as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day every year.

People have also been asked through posters displayed by various organizations to observe the strike on Thursday. APHC Vice Chairman Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar and other Hurriyat leaders and organisations including Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, APHC-AJK Convener Mehmood Ahmad Saghar and Muhammad Farooq Rehmani in their statements said the message of July 13 is that martyrdom is better than the curse of slavery. They vowed that the Kashmiris would take their noble mission to its logical conclusion, through thick and thin.

Meanwhile, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred one youth during a cordon and search operation in Nowshera area of Rajouri district. The troops continued search operations in Mendhar, Noorkote and Nakerkote areas of the district.

The sleuths of India’s dreaded National Investigation Agency and Special Investigation Unit of Indian police raided several houses belonging to Hurriyat activists in different areas of South Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama districts and Kishtwar in Jammu region. During the raids, the forces seized house and bank documents and digital devices. Earlier, Indian police booked 10 Hurriyat leaders and activists under black law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Srinagar.

On the other hand, the Indian Supreme Court, today, decided to hold a day-to-day hearing from August 2 on a bunch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370. The order was passed by a five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud during today’s hearing of the petitions. Narendra Modi-led Indian government on August 5, 2019 had abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was challenged by almost 20 petitioners including Kashmiri political parties.