Irate Kashmiris swarm Islamabad, Muzaffarabad

ISLAMABAD (AFP) Thousands of people rallied in AJK and Islamabad on Wednesday at the behest of a new movement campaigning for independence for the mountain region and condemning Indian brutalities. It was the first rally organised by Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAK), which means movement for independence of Kashmir, and was attended by activists from freedom fighting groups including Hizbul Mujahideen and Jamaatud Daawa (JuD). The new coalition has been organising two days of rallies in the part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and also held a demonstration in Islamabad. A crowd of around 2,500 people shouted Al-Jihad, Allahu Akbar and We want Freedom as they arrived in Muzaffarabad, the capital of AJK, on Wednesday, said an AFP reporter. Indian-ruled Kashmir has been hit by a wave of protests since June 11, when a 17-year-old student was killed by a police teargas shell. Since then Indian security forces have been accused of killing a total of 107 people, mostly teenagers and students. The ongoing freedom movement will transcend beyond the boundaries of Kashmir if the international community fails to take notice of Indian brutalities against this peaceful struggle, JuD leader Abdur Rehman Makki said. He criticised both Islamabad and New Delhi over stalled efforts to resolve the fate of Kashmir. There should be only one-point agenda of any talks between the two countries... The Kashmir issue. TAK spokesman Shafqat Hussain told AFP that the new movement wanted to provide a platform to all political and religious parties campaigning for freedom in Kashmir, but stressed it would remain an unarmed organisation. In Islamabad, around 2,000 Kashmiris staged a demonstration on Wednesday demanding India stop atrocities in Occupied Kashmir, an AFP photographer said. India should stop terrorism in Occupied Kashmir otherwise 26/11 may occur again, a banner carried by the protesters said.

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