Srinagar Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday strongly condemned the killing of Shujaat Bukhari calling it an assault on freedom of expression and speech and a cowardly act to silence meaningful voices.
Addressing the huge Friday gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Mirwaiz said that Shujaat was not only a great journalist and intellectual but a well-wisher of his people who would always be on the forefront of defending Kashmir and Kashmiris projecting the people’s issues and aspirations truthfully without fear or favour throughout his decades-long journalistic career.
Mirwaiz said while people of Kashmir and leadership offer priceless sacrifices, the journalist fraternity in Kashmir too has faced tremendous hardships during the past many decades while carrying out its professional duties. He said it is because of the contribution of the vibrant Kashmiri media that reports with sincerity and against all odds that the world community that the ground situation in Kashmir gets highlighted and their contribution can never be ignored.
Mirwaiz said that it is everyone has condemned and denounced this dastardly act be it in Kashmir Pakistan or India be it the leadership or common man the militants or pro-India parties those in Government in Pakistan and India or in opposition. The question that comes to mind then is who is behind such crimes? we all want to know who these assailants are?
Mirwaiz said whoever they are one thing is clear they have nothing to do with our sacred struggle. Our struggle has been nurtured by the sacred blood of Kashmiri ’s, young and old alike, by their passion and faith in the rightness and justice of the cause for which they died or laid down their life.
Mirwaiz said our struggle is based on principles, on justice, on humanity, on humanness and these beastly acts are the very opposite of it.
Demanding an international and impartial probe to nab Shujaats killers Mirwaiz said alternately as all have condemned it unanimously, a joint investigation commission comprising members from India, Pakistan, militant leadership and Hurriyat and the people of Kashmir could be formed to expose those behind such heinous crimes
The worshipers, who had gathered in large numbers at the grand masjid, strongly condemned the killing of Shujaat and supported the demanded a thorough probe into it. They participated in namaz e Jinaza for the slain journalist and recent “martyrs” of Kashmir held after the Friday prayers. The prayers were led by imam hai of Jamia Masjid.