Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference factions led by Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday condemned the killing of an 85-year-old man in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Mohammad Abdullah Dar of Dogripora Awantipora, who was father of PDP Sarpanch, Mohammad Shaban, was killed by unidentified gunmen late Saturday evening.
“It is an un-Islamic and inhuman act to kill any unarmed person without any proper reason and this is an unacceptable act,” Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani said in a statement.
“Unfortunately from last 25 years, so many incidents have occurred in which people have been killed without presenting any charge-sheet,” the octogenarian pro-freedom leader said, adding “These acts have not only severely damaged the freedom movement but also provided the reasons for the government agencies to kill the common people.”
“Such killings have created an environment of anarchy in the state,” Geelani added.
“Kashmiri people are fighting a sacred and holy battle against the forced occupation, state terrorism, injustice and tyranny and Mujahedeen are on the forefront of this struggle, but they (Mujahedeen) should ensure that willingly or mistakenly, they are not doing any such act which falls into the category of injustice and which can harm over sacred cause,” the Hurriyat (G) chairman said.
“If these precautions are not followed then the difference between the oppressor and oppressed eliminates and both will stand on the same line,” he said.
He further said: “If a single such act happens by our side, the government agencies get the opportunity for doing dozens of such activities by taking its advantage, and all these incidents are then credited to the unidentified gunmen.”
Geelani said that so many incidents occurred in the state where in “agencies killed people but the availability of word unidentified gunmen made them unnoticed.
“If Mujahedeen have any information regarding any person of being directly or indirectly involved in anti-movement activities, he is to be punished but until and unless these allegations are not proven in front of people with concrete evidence,” Geelani said.
“Few days back, a student was killed in Sopore under suspicious conditions and now an old man has been killed in Pulwama, but till date neither any charge-sheet has been presented nor has anybody taken the responsibility for these killings,” the pro-freedom leader said.
He said that these incidents were “very sad and painful” for him.
Geelani said that until these activities were not proved to be reasonable, he will treat both these persons as innocent and will express condolence and sympathy with their families.
This, Geelani said, is our religious as well as moral responsibility to present our stand without any confusion.
“These types of incidents should now be checked and these killings should stop now,” Geelani said, adding “By doing this we can expose the agencies behind such activities.”
Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq sternly condemned the killing of Dar by unidentified gunmen.
In a statement, the amalgam spokesman said “the loss of innocent human lives in any circumstances is a cause of concern and condemnable.”

Reader correspondent