US moves against Iraq slammed

Published January 8, 2003

MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 7: The Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party (JKNAP) and its students’ wing, National Students Federation (NSF), held a rally and a public meeting on Tuesday to condemn the United States policy about Iraq and the atrocities committed by India against the Kashmiris.

The activists brought out the rally from Upper Adda and marched up to the Central Press Club, where the leaders spoke to them.

“The US, India and Israel: The real axis of evil,” was inscribed on a banner, carried by the activists in the front row, while others held placards and red party flags. “The US, India and Israel are the biggest terrorists,” “Save Iraq, save humanity,” read two placards. Another one rebuked India for unleashing atrocities on the Kashmiris.

The activists raised slogans demanding independence of Kashmir from India and Pakistan.

Speaking to the demonstrators, JKNAP leader Shaukat Ganai termed the sanctions against Iraq unjust and prejudiced. He condemned the US policy to thrust a war on Iraq.

“It gives us much pain to note that the United Nations is not reining in Bush administration in and instead is acting as its stooge,” he alleged.

He called upon the international community to play its role to stop the US from going ahead with its designs against Iraq and Palestine at the behest of Israel.

NSF President Shujaat Kazmi said the people of Iraq “were suffering the worst at the hands of the trigger-happy US administration.”

He urged the US administration to resolve the issues of Palestine and Kashmir “instead of persecuting the Iraqis.”

Shujaat strongly condemned the death sentence handed down to three Kashmiris by a New Delhi court and said such punishments could not prolong the slavery of the Kashmiris.

He reiterated the stand of his party that durable solution to the Kashmir issue could only be reached after withdrawal of the “alien forces from both parts of the state and handing over of the rule to its true representatives.”