Rich tributes paid to martyrs of July 13, 1931

ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (AAC) and other Hurriyat leaders and organizations Thursday paid rich tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931 on their martyrdom anniversary in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The AAC, in a statement issued in Srinagar, recalled the sacrifices and paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of 13th July 1931 and to all the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the realization of the aspirations and rights of the struggling people of Jammu and Kashmir since then.

The AAC said since its inception in 1963 and before that during the days of Muslim Conference, the party has been commemorating this day, under the leadership of Mohajir-e-Millat Mirwaiz Yousuf Shah and then under Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq as Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir (Kashmir Martyrs’ Day) and now under the AAC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

The AAC said that it was a day when the party and people of occupied territory by remembering and honoring the sacrifices of the martyrs, renew their commitment to the realization of their will and aspirations politically and through peaceful means of conflict resolution, for which these martyrs laid down their precious lives.

It said this year too, due to the arbitrary house detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq by the authorities in IIOJK since August 2019, it was not possible for him to lead the traditional march to the Martyrs’ Graveyard to pay congregational tributes to martyrs of 13th July 1931.

The AAC reiterated its demand for the release of all political prisoners, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, as well as those who have been lodged in various jails for years in occupied Kashmir and other jails across India.

APHC senior leader and Chairman of the United Peace Alliance Mir Shahid Saleem, in a statement, in Jammu said that supreme sacrifices rendered by 22 Kashmiris against the Dogra rule would always be written with the golden words. He strongly condemned the occupation authorities for imposing restrictions in Srinagar to prevent people from paying tributes to these martyrs.

APHC leaders Khadim Hussain and Sibt Shabbir Qummi in a joint statement in Srinagar, paying tributes to the July 13 martyrs, said these Kashmiris sacrificed their lives against Dogra oppression and tyranny and made Kashmiris aware of rising up against the tyrants and oppressors of the time.

They said that July 13 is the memorable day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir when Kashmiris sacrificed against oppression and injustice and urged the Kashmiri people to observe the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day and send a clear message to India by making the strike call given by the All Party Hurriyat Conference a success.

The Hurriyet leaders, including Maulvi Ghulam Hassa, Dr Musaib, Prof Zubair, High Court Bar Association, Jammu and Kashmir Political Resistance Movement, Jammu Kashmir Justice League Forum and Jammu Kashmir Democratic Movement (JKDM) in their separate statements in Srinagar also paid rich tributes to the Martyrs of 13th July 1931 and others.

On the other hand, senior leader of APHC-AJK chapter Ghulam Muhammad Safi, while paying rich tributes to the martyrs of 13 July, 1931, said the gruesome event was a milestone in the history of Kashmir’s peaceful political struggle for basic human rights and freedom from oppression and military occupation.

APHC-AJK chapter leaders, Zahid Safi, Manzoor Ahmed Shah and Qazi Imran, paying homage to the martyrs of 13th July 1931, said the Kashmiri people will never forget the sacrifices of their martyrs and will continue to struggle against illegal occupation till freedom from Indian yoke.