Srinagar, February 05 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the authorities imposed curfew putting strict restrictions in place and deploying heavy contingents of police and paramilitary troops in very nook and corner to prevent people from observing Gratitude and Prayer Day, today.Call for the observance of the Day was given by the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remained under house arrest for the second consecutive day, today.

He had appealed to the people to pray for the security and stability of Pakistan and express gratitude to it for its solidarity with the struggling Kashmiri people.

The APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Yasmeen Raja and Javed Ahmed Mir in their separate statements while thanking Pakistan expressed the confidence that it would continue its support to Kashmiris’ struggle for right to self-determination. Senior APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi led special prayers for Pakistan in Badgam.

On the other hand, the occupation authorities did not allow holding of public gatherings and seminars that were scheduled to express thankfulness to the government and the people of Pakistan for continuously supporting the Kashmir cause. Indian troops wielding bamboo sticks and wearing riot gear doted the deserted roads in Srinagar and people were prevented from venturing out of their houses. Juma prayers were not allowed in most of the mosques including Jamia Masjid, Khankah-e-Mualla and Pir Dastgir Sahib, as all roads leading to the mosques had been sealed. Indian police personnel carried out raids across the occupied territory and arrested dozens of Hurriyet activists. Local TV channels were directed by the puppet administration to blackout statements of activities of Hurriyet leaders.

Defying restrictions people succeeded in arranging a gathering in Channapora area of Srinagar, where specials prayers were held for the stability of Pakistan. Clashes between the protesters and the Indian police personnel were witnessed at different places in the occupied territory.

Indian troops, in their fresh acts of state terrorism, martyred five more innocent Kashmiri youth, three of them in Nagsiri area of Kashtwar district while one at Sopore and one at Khora area of Samba.Three Indian troopers were killed in two separate attacks in Sopore and Kishtwar areas.
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