SIALKOT: Sheikh Abdullah has said Kashmiris were prepared to suffer every hardship rather than give up their right of self-determination. While addressing in Srinagar an all-parties conference the other day, the Kashmiri leader said Jan Sanghi hoodlums had completely disrupted the law and order situation in the Valley.

He said they had an organised programme to continue these acts of violence and arson in the Valley in an attempt to convert the Muslim majority into minority. The recent attacks on the Muslim populations of Sopur, Anantnag and Srinagar had spread among the Muslims in the Valley, he added. Sheikh Sahib said he would shortly circulate a three-point programme to end these disturbances to elicit public opinion.

He said students were beaten up at Srinagar, Baramula and Islamabad [Anantnag], and some of them were even dragged out of their hostel rooms and arrested. The students had not gone to war against the Sadiq clique but were only demonstrating for the acceptance of their demand, he added. Students were tortured as if their crime amounted to treason, Sheikh Sahib remarked. “We would continue our Jehad to crush the organised activities of the Jan Sanghi hoodlums....”

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2020