ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN
NEWS SUMMARY
(23-03-2000)
Killing of 36 Sikhs manifestation of Indian's desperation: Experts
ISLAMABAD, Mar 23 (APP): The massacre of innocent Sikhs was a desperate attempt on the part of Indian security forces which had miserably failed to suppress Kashmiri freedom movement, experts said on March 22, 2000. "Real motive behind the killing of 36 Sikhs and such other incidents is desperation to which the Indians are confronted on being unable to control the freedom movement of Kashmiri people," former Foreign Secretary Dr. Tanveer Ahmed Khan said in an interview. He said, the Indians had made loud claims after the Kargil incident that they have crushed the movement of Kashmiri people for ever. Tanveer Ahmed Khan said, Indians are talking about limited war with Pakistan and have deployed their regular forces at offensive postures along the Line of Control.He said, Indian government has launched a policy of systematic killings in the Occupied Valley over the years. The human rights organizations, Red Cross and International media are not allowed to visit the area. "It is the responsibility of International Community to have a high-level investigation into all these incidents, most particularly the recent killings of 36 Sikhs," he said. Indians, he said, have two faces.
"When they wear a mask they talk about peace, human rights and democracy but with their real face they do not hesitate to conduct worst kind of suppression and brutality against the innocent people." He said, "the Sikhs have time and again expressed their solidarity with Kashmiri people which the Indians, of course, would not tolerate. This incident of massacre can be a lesson for Sikhs from the Indian authorities to keep them away from the struggle of Kashmiri people." "Neither Pakistan nor Kashmiris even think of such brutality against any community particularly the Sikhs," he stressed. He hoped that India will gain nothing out of such nefarious designs but only add into its desperation. Editor Daily Ausaf, Hamid Mir said, timing and the method of massacre clearly indicated that Indian agencies engineered and conducted this gruesome act. He said facts are gradually coming into light which confirm beyond any doubt that Indian security forces are involved in this incident. He said, Indian Home Minister L.K.Advani had issued a statement in Indian Lok Sabha on March 15, saying, it has become very difficult to control the freedom movement of Kashmir people," because the Sikh separatists have now joined it." Political analysts since then have been apprehending that Indian government will launch some operation against Sikhs, he added. Mir said, the journalists who managed to reach the area soon after this incident have reported that whole area surrounding the village is under regular watch of Indian forces and it is impossible for individuals to infiltrate through this seige.
"The fact is that India has a very weak position on Kashmir issue. Whenever there emerges a chance for Kashmir solution, Indians engineer such incidents in order to escape from the reality." Member of the AJK Legislative Assembly Sardar Khalid Ibrahim said that India has masterminded the brutal killing of Sikhs on a particular occasion in order to achieve political objectives. He said, it is not a new act of brutality on part of Indians. He said the immediate objective of the Indian authorities through this incident can be to divert the attention of visiting US President from the real issues on which he has time and again expressed his concern. The movement of Kashmiri people for their just rights has emerged as a symbol for the freedom loving people of Occupied Kashmir which enjoys the support of entire Kashmiri population including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and even Hindus.To a question he said, in the light of his track record Kashmiri and Pakistani people expect much from Clinton's visit to South Asia in the context of Kashmir dispute.A leader of APHC Agha Syed Abdul Hussain Budgami speaking in the programme said, it is unbelievable for any one in the world that in the presence of strike security arrangements individuals can launch such attacks on civilian population. He urged the US leadership to have a thorough view of the incident in the light of manifest Indian attitude before making any opinion. However the APHC leadership has always condemned such incidents, he added. United States has time and again expressed great concerns for human rights and democracy he said and added the Kashmir people are struggling for the same from more than half century and yet they lack solid US support. He said the world community and particularly US should note the miseries of Kashmiri people and relieve them of Indian suppression.
Prof. Hassan Askari Rizvi, Chairman of Political Science Department of Punjab University condemned the massacre of innocent Sikhs in held Kashmir and maintained that Indian intelligence agencies were involved in this heinous crime. "The present Indian government has a strong support of extremist Hindu organizations which want to implement their agenda." He said India had started accusing the other countries after its failure to suppress the Kashmiri freedom movement. Dr. Rafiq Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of Punjab University said India has been trying to hide the facts in held Kashmir from the outside world. He said New Delhi had debarred international human rights organizations and media from visiting the occupied valley. He said Sikh leaders had told the international media that Indian secret agencies and Kashmiri freedom fighters were involved in the gruesome murder of their community members. Gen. ® F.S Lodhi, former Governor Baluchistan said the killing of Sikhs was a desperate attempt on the part of India."Indian intelligence agencies are behind this incident."He said according to eye witness the attackers were drunken which is an exclusive characteristic of security forces. Prof. Talat Wizarat of Department of International relations Karachi University said India has launched a deliberate campaign to malign the struggle of Kashmiri mujahideen as terrorism."First they engineered plane hijacking drama and this is another attempt in same direction." She said India wanted to defame Kashmiri struggle as," a communal conflict," by pitting different communities against one another. "It would be welcomed by the entire international community that a commission should come from the United Nations to investigate the incident." She called on peace loving people in India to come out and impress upon their government that such things should not happen because they would not serve their purpose.
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