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Political, religious parties observe Kashmir Day

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: President Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Punjab, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has said that his party did not want confrontation with the armed forces.

Addressing a public meeting, which was held in connection with the Kashmir Day at the Muslim League House he said that the PML would continue to demand the restoration of the assemblies and immediate release of Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Rana Nazir Ahmad, General Secretary of the PML Punjab, said that Pakistanis would continue to support the Kashmiris struggle for their liberation. The meeting was also addressed by Begum Tehmina Daultan, Kh. Saad Rafiq, Ch. Akhtar Rasool, Begum Mehnaz Rafi, Arshad Khan Lodhi and Mian Abdul Waheed.

JAMMAT-E-ISLAMI

The Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan organized Kashmir Walk from the Nasir Bagh to the Faisal Chowk in front of the Punjab Assembly building here on Saturday to express solidarity with the Kashmiris struggling for their right to self-determination.

The JI secretary general, Syed Munawar Hassan, led the Kashmir Walk while it was addressed by the JI Lahore Chief, Mian Maqsood Ahmed, and another party leader, Mian Muhammad Usman, while a large number of the Jamaat workers, including women, attended the walk.

Addressing the participants of the walk at Faisal Chowk, the JI secretary general, Syed Munawar Hassan, expressed appreciation for the stance adopted by the Chief Executive, General Parvez Musharraf, on the Kashmir issue. He also urged the government to exhibit the same courage on the issue of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). He said that we should strive for solution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations.

The JI secretary general, talking about mediation on the Kashmir issue, said that the countries which were willing to play this role should ask India to implement the UN resolutions and give the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.

Commenting on the subject of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), he said that the government should keep in view the public sentiments and national interest before taking any decision in this regard.

Christian leader James Channan, while speaking on the occasion, said that Pope John Paul II had also expressed his concern over the atrocities being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir. He appealed to the international community to help solve the issue in the light of the relevant UN resolutions.

The participants of the walk were carrying banners inscribed with slogans in favour of the Kashmiris and decrying India. They also burnt the Indian flag and later dispersed peacefully.

LASHKAR-E-TAIBA

Chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Markaz Dawatul-Irshad, Chief, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, has said that the Kashmiri Mujahideen will soon be starting the third round of their activities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir against the Indian occupation forces.

Addressing a public meeting at the Regal Chowk on the Shahrae Quaid-e-Azam here on Saturday to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day, he said the world had seen success of the Mujahideen during the Kargil crisis and later when they attacked Indian military camps.

Hafiz Saeed said that Mujahideen would soon be launching the third round of their activities. Nevertheless, he did not give any details.

He claimed that this third round would put a big pressure on India. He observed that India was working on three options to dilute the pressure created by the Mujahideen and added that New Delhi was planning to further increase its troops strength in the occupied valley from the present 0.75 million to 1 million. That number, he added, would be two-third of their entire army. He said that the Mujahideen were not disturbed by this Indian plan; in fact, they were happy like the hunter who is pleased to see prey in abundance.

Hafiz Saeed said that the second option of India would be to wage war against Pakistan, and the Indian army chief and the rulers were threatening Pakistan of it. He said if India wanted war at the Pakistani borders, it would find the Pakistani nation ready for it.

Hafiz Saeed said that as part of its third option, India was begging the world to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. It was for this reason that the country had staged the recent hijacking drama, he added. However, he asserted, no matter what India does, Jehad would continue.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba chief said that there was much hue and cry over US President Bill Clinton's forthcoming visit to Pakistan.

He said Clinton would be welcomed if he visits Pakistan as per Islamic traditions, but his visit could make no difference to Pakistan.

He said conditions being put forth for the Clinton's visit such as that Mujahideen organisations be banned, CTBT signed and democracy restored should not be accepted.

Hafiz Saeed said that singing of the CTBT was made an issue only after nuclear blasts by Pakistan. He was of the view that Pakistan was being asked to sign it as part of a conspiracy hatched only to deprive the Muslims of the nuclear capability, hence Pakistan should refuse to comply.

He challenged the US government to go to any international legal body to prove the charge of terrorism against the Kashmiri Mujahideen, allowing his party also a chance to prove with arguments that the Mujahideen were not involved in terrorism.

Hafiz Saeed also welcomed the statement of Chief Executive Gen. Parvez Musharraf, with regard to Jehad. But at the same time he regretted the news that the government would control religious madaris. He made it clear that terrorism was not taught in these institutions.

MILLAT PARTY

President Millat Party, Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, expressing solidarity with the Kashmiri people has said that the night of tyranny was about to end and nobody can stop dawn of independence.

In a statement issued here on Saturday in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, he stated that the Kashmiris were being subjected to worst ever oppression of the human history. He averred that six lakh Indian troops were committing more brutalities than Nazi and Gastapo.

Leghari saluted the sacrifices being rendered by the Kashmiris in struggle to win their right of self-determination.

TEHRIK-E-INSAAF

The Tehrik-e-Insaaf took out a rally in the provincial metropolis here on Saturday to express solidarity with the Kashmiris in their struggle against India to secure the right to self-determination.

The rally started from the Nasir Bagh, and after marching on the Shahrae Quaid-e-Azam, culminated at the Faisal Chowk in front of the Punjab Assembly building. Chief of the Tehrik-e-Insaaf, Imran Khan, led the rally.

Addressing the participants at Faisal Chowk, Imran Khan said that Muslims were being subjected to the worst kind of terror throughout the world. Citing the examples of Chechnya and Kashmir, he observed that nobody rescued Muslims in their hour of distress.

JAMAAT AHLE-HADITH

Ameer Markazi Jamaat Ahle-Hadith, Allama Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, has claimed that the US President Clinton, being a non-Muslim, would support the Indian stand on the Kashmir issue by ignoring Pakistan during his forthcoming visit to the sub-continent.

While addressing a seminar on the Kashmir issue here on Saturday, he stated that Kashmiri freedom fighters did not care whether Clinton visited Pakistan or not but, unfortunately, our government had damaged the struggle of the Kashmiri freedom fighters by requesting him to visit Pakistan also.

He said that the former rulers had hurt the Kashmir cause in the aftermath of the Kargil crisis, but even then India could not succeeded in defeating the freedom fighters in Kashmir.

TRADERS

Business community of the provincial metropolis observed complete strike here on Saturday in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day.

All major markets, business centres, financial institutions, and shopping plazas remained closed. A complete holiday was observed in all private and government offices. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Lahore Stock Exchange also remained closed.

Complete strike was witnessed in all markets of Lahore, including the wholesale commodity market Akbari Mandi, the paper market, Hall Road Electronics market, Mechload Road market, currency market, Shah Alam cloth market, auto market and the Sarafa Bazaar (jewellery market).

Small markets in the far-flung areas of the city also remained closed. Inter-city transport was suspended till Saturday afternoon.