MIRPUR (AJK)-The Kashmiris on Wednesday staged a mammoth anti-India protest in London against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his deliberate involvement in the massacre of Kashmiris in Held Kashmir.
The furious Kashmiris gathered at Parliament Square in London, at the sideline of the ongoing Commonwealth Summit, to invite due role of the world including the Western nations to get to an end the Indian state terrorism in occupied Kashmir. They also sought justice for the Kashmiris and early grant of their right to self-determination.
Modi is amongst the participants of the Summit being attended by heads of the member countries of the common wealth. People from all walks of life including women and children and from different cities of UK and Europe participated in the protest demonstration.
An AJK Parliamentary delegation also joined the protest demonstration. The protesters led by AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, opposition leader in AJK Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Yasin, ex-prime minister Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry and Abdul Rasheed Turabi, ex-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir, raised high-pitched slogans in favour of Kashmir’s freedom from India and against the Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.
The protesters demanded right to self-determination for the Kashmiris, end to the Indian state terrorism in occupied Kashmir and exemplary punishment for the tormentors of Aasifa. They also highlighted the Indian brutalities in occupied Kashmir and different aspects of the Kashmir dispute on the occasion.
Talking to the media, the AJK prime minister said that people of Indian-Held Kashmir are being denied their right to life by Indian authorities. All forms of political expression in the country and struggle for freedom are met with brutalities of Indian forces. India has always violated human rights by killing innocent civilians of Kashmir.
He said the criminal silence over unending oppression in the occupied valley is a blot on the conscience of the international community. The global community ought to play its rightful role in bringing peace to the region.
Raja Farooq Haider said India is committing heinous crimes in the occupied valley and using all tactics to suppress the indigenous Liberation movement of Kashmiri people. He urged the Commonwealth countries to constructively engage with India, Pakistan and Kashmiris for a durable and amicable resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per wishes of Kashmiri people and accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister of AJK Chaudhry Tariq Farooq Wednesday directed the State Health Department for the early payment of the pending dues including salaries to the employees of the state-run Mirpur Medical College - since the government has managed funds for the purpose.
Farooq presided over a meeting at Prime Minister Secretariat Wednesday. AJK Minister for Health Dr Najeeb Naqqi, Additional Chief Secretary Development Dr Syed Asif Hussain, Secretary Finance Farid Tarar, Secretary Health Major General Khalid Hussain Asad, Secretary Housing & Physical Planning Khawaja Ahsen , Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Ahsaan Khalid Kiyani, Principal Muzaffarbad Medical College Professor Dr. Sarosh Khan, Principal Benezir Bhutto Shaheed Medical College Professor Dr. Imran Azam and other senior officers attended the meeting.
Issues pertaining to Mirpur Medical College came under Discussion in the meeting. The meeting was told that arrangements for the payment of the pending salaries to the Mirpur Medical College Staff were made through Annual Development Program and transfer of funds from the Muzaffarabad Medical College as loan soon.
“Rs9.3 million will be paid from the ADP while Rs8 million will be borrowed from Muzaffarabad Medical College”. Secretary Health told the acting PM.
The meeting was also told Rs360 Million were released in June 2017 especially for Civil Work which were utilised during the FY 17-18 resulting in completion of structures of 9/11 buildings. Enhancement of allocation for Civil Work may be taken up with M/o PD&R on urgent basis for timely completion of the Civil Work and avoid any termination/cancellation of the project. Priorities are decided by M/o PPH/PWD. Directions will be passed to PPH/PWD to prioritise the completion of hostels and boundary walls on an urgent basis in a bid to save Rs6.57 million annually, it was told.
Other issues like Extension of PSDP PC-1 for completion of Civil Work, Release of remaining ADP component Rs93.662 million for payment of pending salaries, Payment of Salaries regularly / Allocation of funds for salaries and operational expenses under Normal Budget, Regularization of Employees / Conversion of Employees (Non-Teaching Staff) to Normal Budget, also came under discussion.