Srinagar, June 29 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that the peaceful protests against the illegal land transfer to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board will continue till the puppet administration revokes its decision.

The APHC Chairman was addressing a press conference in Srinagar after returning from a five-day visit to Pakistan. Earlier, on reaching Srinagar airport, the Mirwaiz was given a warm welcome.  He immediately rushed to the residence of senior Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani where he held a detailed meeting with him.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq maintained that the agitation was not centred around the transfer of land to the SASB alone. “Thousands of acres of land were forcibly occupied by the Indian army and other forces. Unless the basic issue of Kashmir is not resolved, such things will continue to happen,” he said. The Mirwaiz further said that the APHC would support and follow the programme of Action Committee against Land Transfer (ACALT)

The Mirwaiz while calling for immediate cancellation of land transfer order, warned that the agitation could get worse if the issue was not resolved soon.  He said the people of the occupied territory have spontaneously reacted to the well-thought out conspiracy to occupy the land of Kashmiris, adding that the responsibility for the worsening situation lies on the puppet regime, which failed to respect the wishes and aspirations of the people.

The Mirwaiz said that some vested interests were trying to give communal colour to the agitation. He pointed out, "Kashmiris are not communal and Amarnath yatra is nothing new as it has been going on for several decades."

He however cautioned that Kashmiris would not compromise on their Islamic identity. "In the capacity of APHC Chairman and Mirwaiz of Kashmir, let me make it clear categorically that Kashmiris will not tolerate any attempts to erode the Islamic identity of this land and will go to any extent to uphold it,” Mirwaiz said.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq strongly condemned the use of brute force on peaceful protest demonstrators and maintained that the voice of people could not be suppressed through such tactics. He also denounced the arrest of Hurriyet leaders, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Manan Bukhari.