US Losing War in Afghanistan

India Using Civil Society as FireFighters: Kashmiri Leader

Srinagar, June 2: The pro-independence Kashmiri separatist leader Mohammad Yasin Malik Saturday accused the Indian government of using Civil Society members as ‘firefighters’ in Indian administered Kashmir.

“Whenever there are crises in Kashmir, India uses civil society as a weapon”, Malik said while addressing a seminar, ‘Kashmiri youth and their democratic rights’ organised by Indian civil society group Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA).

He said Kashmir was such a stable economically that it provides opportunities of earning bread and butter to thousands of migrant workers from Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

“Kashmir should not be looked upon as an issue of unemployment or packages. We are economically so strong that we provide employment to thousands of binaries” he said.

Malik said Kashmir dispute was a reality and one must accept this reality. “We have lost our four generations in pursuit of the settlement of the dispute and wouldn’t like to sacrifice the gen next for the same. Every stakeholder must come forward and work for the permanent settlement of the dispute”, he said.

Referring to US- Taliban conflict, Malik said even US has accepted defeat against Taliban and is contemplating to move out its ground forces and trying to bring Taliban on the negotiating table. “Such a move has sent signals all over the world and particularly the youth of Kashmir that ‘Gun’ was the only way to seek the settlement of the disputes.”

Fayaz Wani
Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.