Hurriyat says Centre’s offer ‘illogical and unfortunate

SRINAGAR: The joint Hurriyat leadership on Thursday termed Centre’s ceasefire initiative during the holy month of Ramzan as “illogical and unfortunate” saying that they believed in permanent peace rather than a monthlong relaxation.

Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik said “Operation Halt” was a ploy to hoodwink public opinion on national and international levels and a denial to resolve the Kashmir issue. “We want a permanent halt on the war India has thrust upon the people of the state. It is illogical and unfortunate to offer relaxations in killings for one month and then restart it with impunity,” the Joint Resistance leadership said in a statement.

Mirwaiz and Malik also addressed a seminar at the Hurriyat office on the “responsibility of the leadership in safeguarding the sanctity of martyrdom” referring to the assassinations of Moulana Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone. “This is not the issue of a month or two months. What’s is the next step? Guns in the hands of youth are a result of the unresolved Kashmir dispute. India has to address the issue rather than announcing these monthly measures,” Mirwaiz said.


JKLF chief Yasin Malik also spoke on the ceasefire offer, saying it was a “cosmetic measure” and cannot change anything on the ground. “They have decided to not to kill us in Ramzan. They want us to end our struggle. Either all three parties – Pakistan, J&K and India – have to sit together and resolve the issue or follow the right to selfdetermination.”