ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN
NEWS SUMMARY
(22-03-2000)
Sultan terms killing of sikhs in Sringar- a RAW-sponsored act
ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): AJK Prime Minister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on Tuesday said that the tragic killing of 35 Sikhs in the occupied Kashmir is an act of Indian intelligence Agency RAW to vitiate the atmosphere, in the wake of President Clinton's visit to South Asia. "This is a deliberate attempt to distort the facts, especially at a time when the government of Pakistan was going to raise the question of Indian atrocities before President Clinton during his stay in Islamabad," he said. Taking strong exception to the Indian government's attempt to involve freedom fighters in the killing, he said the muslims have no conflict with Sikhs and they have been cooperating with each other against the reign of terror, let loose by the Indian government. Talking to APP, he said the residents of Chadisinghpoora village, 70 kilometres south of Sringar became the victim of the state terrorism, which was aimed at maligning the Kashmiri mujahideen in such acts of brutalities, in one way or other. This was a deliberate attempt to paint the on-going movement for right of self-determination as a terrorist movement, he added. The other Kashmiri leaders including Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan, Sardar Sikandar Hayat and Sardar Khalid Ibrahim have also condemned the act, and said it was designed to misrepresent the facts, for suppressing the indigenous movement for self-determination in the occupied valley. They said, the event was well-planned to portray a negative posture of Kashmiri mujahideen before President Clinton. Targeting of innocent people had been the policy of the Indian government to mislead the international community about the realities of Kashmir issue.
Sultan said the killing of minority population is a part of well-planned conspiracy hatched by RAW and other Indian security agencies, to paint mujahideen as terrorists at the start of President Clinton's visit to South Asia. Referring to the foreign news agency report about the killings, he said the story was concocted at the behest of occupational forces to defame the mujahideen, and harm the on-going just freedom movement. The AJK PM said it was not for the first time, that mujahideen were blamed for such a ghastly act. The Indian security agencies, he added have been massacring muslims and sikh populations over the years to establish their hegemony in South Asia. He said Indian brutalities against minorities are well-known. The world community, he said cannot forget the earlier attempts of massacring Sikhs in Golden Temple, and similar actS against muslims while demolishing the Babari mosque. Even the christian community is also being repeatedly targetted to suppress the voice of freedom in the occupied territory. In a number of instances, he added the Indian government killed tourists in the occupied Kashmir by wrongly implicating Kashmiri mujahideen in such acts in a bid to deceive the international community about the their just struggle. Sultan said the US leadership and the people had been vocal on the question of Kashmir in recent days, and they are convinced of early resolution of the Kashmir problem, in accordance with the UN resolutions. Out of their frustration, the Indian government once again targetted innocent people to portray a negative picture before the visiting US President, about the just struggle of Mujahideen.
He said "the world community must take cognizance of the real facts of Kashmir movement." The outrageous and brutal acts are being perpetrated by the Indian security agencies just to tarnish the image of the freedom struggle before the world community. Sultan regretted that the Indian Security forces after targeting Sikhs in Anantnag district, cordoned the area to apprehend militant in a bid to shift the onus of this barbaric act on them (Mujahideen).
Detention of Waiz demonstrates Indian disregard to human rights: FO
ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): The Foreign Office Tuesday termed the detention of Mir Waiz Umar Farooq, Chairman, Kashmir Awami Action Committee and former Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference, as India's contemptuous disregard of human rights in occupied Kashmir. In a statement it said "Arrest of Mir Waiz demonstrates India's contemptuous disregard of fundamental human rights in occupied Kashmir." "Already most other Kashmiri freedom movement leaders are incarcerated. Indian forces have killed over 70,000 people in the last decade", the statement said. Terrorism by the Indian forces in occupied Kashmir and the savage repression of its freedom struggle stand in sharp contrast to India's vaunted democracy, it added.
Pakistan condemns killing of 35 Sikhs in Occupied Kashmir
ISLAMABAD March 22 APP: Pakistan Tuesday condemned the killing of 35 Sikhs in Occupied Kashmir and described it a gruesome act of terrorism. A foreign office Spokesman in a statement issued here said: "The Government of Pakistan condemns the killing of thirty five Sikh inhabitants of Kashmir on March 20". "This gruesome act of terrorism needs to be thoroughly investigated so that it is not exploited for propaganda to deflect attention from the Kashmiri freedom struggle," he added.
Indian army involved in killing of Sikhs: CNN
ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): Strong evidence has surfaced about Indian army's involvement in the massacre of 35 Sikhs who were killed Monday night in Occupied Kashmir. A CNN correspondent after visiting the site of massacre quoted Tuesday one of the survivors as saying, "all the assailants were wearing Indian army uniforms." Bodies of the deceased were riddled with bullets in the wake of heavy firing by occupied forces on Sikhs at Chati Singhpura, Islamabad near Mattan. The CNN report has made it clear that the soldiers of Indian army and agents of secret agencies entered the village, separated men from their families and killed 35 Sikhs.
Sattar condemns killings of Sikhs in IHK
ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar on Tuesday condemned the killing of 35 Sikhs in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Sattar demanded a thorough probe into the incident. This was necessary, he said and added it should not be used as a propaganda to deflect the attention from the Indian repression in Occupied Kashmir. The minister was speaking at the National Electronic Forum here Tuesday.
35 Sikhs gunned down in occupied Kashmir by Indian forces and agencies
ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): Thirty five Sikhs were shot dead by personnel of the Indian Armed Forces and secret agencies at village Chatti Singpora near Mattan in District Islamabad (Anantnag) last night, reports Kashmir Media Service (KMS). The armed men forced the villagers out of their houses and gunned them down after lining them in a single row. Thirty four persons died on the spot while two others were critically injured and taken to hospital where one of them succumbed to his injuries. The incident is yet another crude attempt by India to subvert the Kashmiris' struggle for their rights by giving it a communal colouring. It is noteworthy that the Indian Government had been accusing the Sikhs of aligning themselves with the Kashmiris in their on going struggle. All Parties Hurriyat Conference has decided to observe complete strike throughout the valley on Thursday to protest against this tragic incident. This unprovoked mass murder of Sikhs has triggered violent demonstrations in Jammu where people from all sections of society expressed their anger and resentment. They raised slogans against the Indian Government and the puppet regime of Farooq Abdullah. There has been a protest rally in Srinagar as well beside strike in the town of Islamabad. All Parties Hurriyat Conference and Kashmiri leaders have vehemently condemned the killing of Sikhs in strongest terms describing it as an Indian Government's ploy to divert world attention from the Kashmir issue. Acting Chairman Mir Waiz Umer Farooq while condemning this bloodshed has expressed deep sorrow and anguish over the killing of innocent and un-armed 35 Sikhs in Mattan, Islamabad. He said all Kashmiris irrespective of their religious belief fully share the grief of Sikh community. This Carnage, Mir Waiz said is a deep-rooted conspiracy and "we feel it is a nefarious attempt to defame the sacred movement of Kashmiri people for their right of self-determination on the eve of President Clinton's visit and it should be condemned at all levels."
The Hurriyat Conference Secretary Information Sheikh Abdur Rashid has described the murder of innocent people as a conspiracy hatched by Indian Secret Agencies and condemned it in strongest possible words. He said that this scenario has been deliberately enacted at a time when President Clinton is visiting India and its sole purpose is to malign the Kashmiris' struggle by projecting it as terrorism. He reminded that there has been no such operation against the Sikhs in the valley during the last eleven years and they were living peacefully with their Muslim brethren. The area where this sanguinary incident took place is under total control of armed agents of Indian Forces. Sheikh Abdul Rashid said that bloodshed of Sikhs is aimed at sabotaging the growing awareness about the Kashmir issue at the global level. He said the Hurriyat Conference vehemently condemns the killing of innocent and once again appeals to President Clinton to play a decisive role for resolving the lingering Kashmir Issue. Meanwhile Supreme Commander, Hiz ul Mujahideen and Chairman of the United Jehad Council Syed Salahuddin Ahmad condemning the abominable killing of 35 Sikhs has described it as the handiwork of India's Secret Agencies. He added that the killing of Sikhs is a condemnable act of the Indian Government in order to project the freedom movement in Kashmir as an act of terrorism, communalism and violence.
Syed Salahuddin Ahmed stressed that the same hands are behind this cowardly act of bloodshed which had been involved in the desecration of the Sikhs' most holy shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Dukhtarane Millat Chief Aasia Andrabi in a statement in Srinagar has also assailed the Indian Government for masterminding the killing of 35 Sikhs. The objective of this inhuman act to try to subvert the Kashmiris principled struggle. Meanwhile, there will be complete protest strike throughout occupied Kashmir tomorrow to coincide with President Clinton's address to the Indian Parliament. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has made the call for the strike to invite world attention to the Kashmir problem. It has been officially announced in Srinagar that house arrest of Acting Chairman APHC Mir Waiz Umer Farooq will continue till end of President Bill Clintons visit to India on March 25th. Reports emanating from the Indian capital say there was a possibility of Maulvi Umer Farooq receiving an invitation for the reception in honour of President Clinton being hosted by the US Embassy in Delhi. Apparently Mir Waiz Umer Farooq will be unable to attend the reception on account of his house arrest.
Reports from New Delhi say that many workers of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party led by Hakim Abdur Rashid managed to bring out a procession from the shrine of Hazrat Nazim-ud-din Aulia. The procession was on its way towards Chankya Puri when the police charged upon it arresting many senior members who were taken into custody. It may be added these workers of the Democratic Freedom Party had succeeded in reaching Delhi after crossing over many hurdles. The demonstrators by changing the route reached the US Embassy where they presented a memorandum addressed to President Clinton in which his attention was drawn to the plight of Kashmiris. Meanwhile, in the on-going acts of wreckage and plunder embarked upon by the Indian Forces in the occupied Valley, the forces personnel last night torched a Bazar in Pattan on Srinagar Baramula road in which a number of shops were reduced to ashes. This is the third incident of this nature in Pattan during the last month and a half. Earlier the Mujahideen ambushed the Pattan police station last night injuring three police personnel.
The Mujahideen in their stepped up operations targeted the Indian Forces posts and bunkers at several places. They launched a grenade attack on the forces camp at Bagh Dilawar Khan destroying a military vehicle and injuring several army personnel. The mujahideen also launched grenades using grenade guns, at a police officer's residence in Jawahar Nagar. The Forces shot dead a person in Rambiari Pulwama and later announced that he was a Mujahid,. An un-identified dead body has also been recovered in Gund Rehman, Ganderbal. Two persons Jan Mahmmad and Ghulam Nabi, both tailors were injured during a bomb blast in Baramula Town. According to another report confirmed by official sources, a force personnel received injuries during a Mujahideen attack in Kupwara. An army personnel was arrested in Uri for girl-teasing but later released under pressure from the army. In Banihal two village Defence Committee personnel, Prem Singh and Charan Sing were sentenced to death by the court for killing their colleague Mitra Singh.
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