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Indian troops' set on fire houses, shops in Pattan

ISLAMABAD: In occupied Kashmir, the Indian occupation troops reduced to rubble the entire market in Pattan, 27 kms North of Srinagar.

According to Kashmir Media Service, at least 100 shops and several residential houses were gutted by fire in Pattan Baramula last night.

Indian troops evacuated large number of civilians and sprayed petrol on the shops and houses. Before setting ablaze the market the town was pillaged by the Indian army. The troops fired indiscriminately and people were mercilessly tortured. Many persons were reported seriously injured. The town remained under fire for the whole night and the troops did not allow Fire Tenders to put out the fire.

Five fire-service men were injured after Indian troops sprayed them with bullets. People took refuge in mosques and raised full-throated slogans against India and in favour of their right to self-determination.

Troops have besieged the whole town of Pattan and Srinagar Baramula highway has been blocked.

The incident reminds of November 27, 1993 Ñ the day when Indian troops burnt over 150 shops and houses in Sopore and killed more than 200 Kashmiris.

Commenting on the Pattan incident, Ghulam Nabi Shaida, an editor of daily 'Wadi Ki Awaz' published from Srinagar, said that the ugly incident has once again proved that in order to stifle Kashmir freedom movement, Indian army is resorting to worst type of savagery.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has denounced in strong terms the holocaust in Pattan. A spokesman of APHC in Srinagar said that the Indian troops where victimising non-combatant civilians as the stiff resistance by valiant Kashmiri Mujahideen has frustrated the Indian designs to subdue the Kashmiri's struggle of right to self-determination. The spokesman has appealed to world human rights organisations to take notice of the Indian army's vandalism and pressurise India to end its savagery in occupied Kashmir. APP