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| India-Pakistan |
| Islamists plan pro-Pakistan protest |
| 2008-08-18 |
| SRINAGAR: In an unprecedented development, the Jammu and Kashmir government has allowed Islamists to stage a massive pro-Pakistan protest in the heart of Srinagar —ignoring warnings from India’s intelligence services that the decision could lead to a meltdown of state authority. Tehreek-i-Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani and All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are expected to address over 100,000 protesters at the Tourist Reception Centre on Monday morning, in the first major Islamist gathering in central Srinagar. Later, both leaders are scheduled to march to the offices of the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan to present a petition demanding an end to what secessionists describe as the military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. Srinagar District Commissioner K. Afsandyar Khan and Senior Superintendent of Police S.A. Mujitaba were despatched to stage negotiations on the management on the scheduled protests with Mr. Geelani on Sunday afternoon. Police sources said their request for the protest to be scaled down was rejected by the Islamist leader. Governor N.N. Vohra and his advisors then ordered Director-General of Police Kuldeep Khoda to move his forces out of central Srinagar, to avoid clashes with protestors Mr. Vohra has adopted a controversial policy of avoiding confrontation with protesters, amidst signs that a month of communally-charged protests have led to a collapse of police authority. Last week, Kulgam Senior Superintendent of Police Imtiaz Mir was reported to have been surrounded by a mob and compelled to raise pro-Pakistan slogans. On August 15, CRPF personnel were even forced to remove India’s national flag from the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar, after a pro-Pakistan mob marched on the building. State government sources said secessionist leaders had promised to ensure that Monday’s protests were peaceful, and noted that similar assurances delivered before a massive rally in Pampore on Saturday had been met. However, police sources said, no plans were in place to protect important institutions and offices which could become targets of the crowds, including the residence of the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, the homes of the former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, and the former Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, and several important government offices. Sources in the APHC said strains among the secessionist conglomerate were making it difficult to control elements in the mobs. At an APHC meeting held late on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik accused Mr. Geelani and Mr. Farooq of having deviated from their agreed common minimum programme. He said both Islamist leaders had used protests organised against the alleged economic blockade of the Kashmir Valley by Hindu fundamentalists to push their pro-Pakistan Islamist agenda. Maulvi Shaukat Shah of the right-wing Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith warned that the protests were spiralling out of the control of the secessionist leadership, and were paving the way for a bloody showdown with the armed forces. However, these moderates came in for criticism from leaders like Asiya Andrabi, who claimed they were taking an excessively conciliatory position. Protestors from various political groups have infiltrated crowds celebrating Shab-e-Baraat — a night of fasting and penance when, in popular Islamic tradition, Allah prepares the destiny of mortals for the coming year. |
| Posted by:john frum |