Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Muhammad Yasin Malik Tuesday questioned the police for not cracking the braid cutting cases, stating that ‘police act faster than light in cases of arresting masked stone pelters, pro-freedom leaders and foiling peaceful protests.’
Addressing a gathering at Chrar-e-Sharief on the Urs of revered Sufi saint Sheikh Noor Ud Din Wali (RA), Malik said Kashmir’s women were under the grip of fear for the past two months due to braid cutting incidents.
“We as a society are living in continued fear and apprehension but rulers and their police are clueless. Somebody calls it mass hysteria and while someone calls it mere hoax. Nobody is coming with any clear proof,” Malik said. “Hundreds of our sisters have been left shaken by some unknown assailants. Police take no time and act faster than light to identify even masked stone-pelters, arresting pro-freedom leaders and foiling the peaceful protests; but have failed to identify the hands behind braid cutting.”
He said the ‘ignorance on part of the police’ has turned the entire affair as “doubtful and made the situation alarming.”
“While dealing with this menace, we will have to be very vigilant, cautious and deal it with magnanimity. We cannot become unruly and rude and push our whole society towards anarchy in the name of braid cutting,” the JKLF chief said. “We can fight this hidden enemy by enhancing our society-based vigil that is under the command of elders and if during our vigilantism some suspect is caught, we should bring him to local Masjid and let our elders investigate him or her with wisdom and never resort to mob torture or lynching as that is detrimental to our cause.”
“Attacks on our women folk are meant to terrorize us,” Malik said.
The JKLF chief managed to reach the shrine and paid obeisance there. He said Kashmir has been an abode of spirituality and spiritual saints like Sheikh-ul-Alam have “led us on every front of life be it social, political or economic life.”
JKLF chairman said that especially for last two years Kashmir has been turned into “a big jail where every little space for peaceful political activities has been choked.”
“Today more than ten thousand young and old, men and women and even juveniles are languishing in jails and police stations and no one is paying any heed to their plight. People languishing in jails and police stations are our heroes and we stand by them,” he said.
Meanwhile, JKLF has expressed grief and sorrow over the demise of Tariq Ajaz Dar of Batamaloo who died in an accident in Budgam. JKLF vice-chairman Mushtaq Ajmal participated in the funeral prayers and burial of the deceased and expressed solidarity with his family.