Muhammad Ullah: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter obseved "International Day of Disappeared." On the occassion, a protest demonstration in front of National Press Club, Islamabad was held against thousands of disappeared persons in India illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and demanded their immediate release.

The APHC-AJK chapter Convener, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani led the demonstration.

The speakers addressing the demonstration expressed grave concern over the rising number of enforced disappearances and demanded of the authorities to inform families of the disappeared persons about their whereabouts.

The speakers also expressed concern over the killing of innocent Kashmiri youth during the so-called cordon and search operations, saying that India could not suppress the ongoing freedom movement through such cheap tactics.

They said that the people of Kashmir were rendering their lives for a great purpose and the entire would was condemning Indian atrocities on the Kashmiris. They reiterated the Kashmiris’ resolve to continue freedom movement till complete success.

They speakers demanded of the United Nations and other international human rights organizations to take notice of rights violations by Indian troops in the occupied territory.

Meanwhile, the Convener Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Muhammad Safi, talking to media persons outside National Press Club, Islamabad, said, when the international community is observing the “International Enforced Disappearance Day” today, most of the Kashmiri families are awaiting their loved ones disappeared by Indian forces in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

He said, Indian forces have long been responsible for the enforced disappearances in the occupied territory. He added that at least over 20,000 people had been disappeared by Indian forces since the beginning of the conflict and most were last seen in the custody of Indian brutal troops.

Ghulam Muhammad Safi said that Illegal and immoral laws had been made to offer a remarkable amount of legal protection to Indian armed forces and civilian officials caught up in criminal offences.

He said that the United Nations must establish an independent and imperial Commission of Inquiry to probe human rights violations by Indian forces in IIOJK since the beginning of the conflict.

Hurriyat AJK leader Abdul Hameed Lone in a statement in Islamabad said that the relatives of the disappeared persons have become psychopaths. He deplored that many parents of the disappeared youth have died while waiting for their return.