Srinagar, May 8: The hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani Sunday called for shutdown on May 14 to demand release of political prisoners and youth detained in the region.
“I appeal for the people to observe a complete shutdown on May 14 to protest the continued detention of political prisoners and youth,” Geelani said while addressing a seminar in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian administered Kashmir.
He said protest rallies would also be held across different parts of the region to highlight the plight of political prisoners lodged in various jails within and outside Kashmir.
“The first such rally would be held at Shopian, some 55 kms South of Srinagar on May 13,” the ailing separatist leader said.
He said the schedule for rallies in the other party would be announced soon. “The protest rallies would be totally peaceful,” he asserted.
Geelani urged youth not to chant slogans. “Instead they should distribute pamphlets among the tourists and apprise them about the real Kashmir situation and the oppressive measures adopted by India to muzzle the voices of the Kashmiri people,” he said.
He said the struggle against the ‘illegal occupation of India’ will continue. “We will continue to raise voices for people who are languishing in different jails across India,” he said.
He said from May 2011, 4800 FIR’s have been registered in Kashmir. “The government employees have also been targeted and 12 of them have been suspended so far,” he said.
The ailing separatist leader urged the world leaders to resolve the Kashmir issue on a priority basis. “The peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue would bring prosperity and peace to the region,” he said.