London , May 9: Glowing tributes were paid to Chairman Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir and prominent leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Muhammad Ashraf Khan Sehrai at a webinar organised by Tehreek-e-Kashmir TeK United Kindom (UK).
President TeK UK Raja Fahim Kayani said that Sehrai was an icon of on going liberation movement in Kashmir who laid his life for the sacred Kashmir cause. Sehari’s custodial killing demonstrates that Indian occupation regime is adamant to use all available tools to subjugate the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir IIOJK into submission. But the sacrifice of Sehrai testifies that no matter what, India can never break the will of the Kashmiri leadership. They are willing to give their life but will never compromise on the principle stand of right of self-determination.Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi condemned the custodial killing of Sehrai saying he saddened on the sad demise of prominent leader Sehrai under Indian custody.
President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir AJ&K Sardar Masood Khan expressed his grief and anguish over the custodial killing of Sehrai. He highlighted the unwavering determination of Sehrai towards the cause of Kashmir. President Khan assured the people of IIOJK that AJ&K government will raise the issue of illegally detained leadership of Kashmir in every possible international forums, including the United Nations, European Parliament and OIC. He appealed the United Nations to take concrete steps to save the nation of Kashmir who are facing an existential threat since August 5, 2019 when India abrogated Article 370 and 35 A.
The foreign minister Qureshi said in his video message sent
to the organiser of the conference that Sehrai struggled in all his life for the Kashmir cause and right of self-determination. Sehrai never lost hope but in Kashmir struggle he lost his beloved son Junaid Sehrai through extra judicial killing in custody. Sehrai also left us under Indian custody which deeply saddened me.
” Sehrai saw ups and downs, faced oppression but never accepted India’s illegal occupation”, Qureshi added. Foreign Minister Qureshi condoled with the berieved family of Sehrai and the leadership of APHC .
” On this occasion I want to reiterate Pakistan’s support to the Kashmir cause and are confident that Kashmiris will succeed and one day achieve their objective according to the UN charter and commitment made under Security Council resolutions, ” Foreign Minister Qureshi concluded.
Chairman of Pakistani Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain said that Sehrai was an icon of Kashmiri people’s heroic resistance to brutal Indian repression occupation. He was loyal aide of IIOJK’s great freedom fighter, Syed Ali Geelani .Senator added that his custodial death follows martyrdom of his son Junaid Sehrai in May 2019 fighting for freedom.Senator Sayed recommended the following three action items to the Government of Pakistan.
1. To send the letters to the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights; Amnesty International and United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings to intervene and persuade Government of India to release all political prisoners in IIOJK in view of the latest wave of Covid 19 pandemic which has spread all over India.
2. The Government of Pakistan should establish Shaheed Ashraf Sehrai Chair on Human Rights at one of the renowned universities of Pakistan or think tanks in Pakistan.
3. Pakistan should send critical healthcare supplies to IIOJK.
All these suggestions were endorsed by Chairman Pakistan Parliamentary Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan Afridi and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Pervez Ashraf.
Shehryar Khan Afridi offered his condolences and reiterated that the Government of Pakistan will provide all possible diplomatic support to the people of IIOJK till they achieve their right to self-determination. He said that Kashmir Committee has established 28 global platforms to inform global public square about the situation in IIOJK. He said that the custodial death of Sehrai sends a clear message that Indian government is bent up on killing the Kashmiri political leadership. We cannot let it happen.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan Peoples Party PPP has always played an important role to highlight the Kashmir cause, right from Shaheed Zulfiqar Bhutto to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari . We will continue to be the ears and eyes of our brothers and sisters of IIOJK.
The MP and Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons Afzal Khan said that Sehrai is the hero of Kashmir freedom struggle. He fought peacefully against the Indian military occupation all his life. In order to keep the new generation of Pakistan aware of this hero of Kashmir freedom movement, the government of Pakistan should recognise their struggle and hold a special session of the National Assembly and the Senate.
Khan further said that we all applaud the move of Pakistan to send aid to India to control the outbreak of Covid-19 but the government of Pakistan must talk to India. Their aid should be given access to IIOJK people as well. The people of the occupied valley must be helped in this hour of need. Chairman Public Accounts Committee and assembly member AJ&K Abdul Rashid Turabi said that Sehrai was a man of character. He was a person who gave his life for a cause he truly believed in. The nation of Kashmir will miss him dearly, Turabi added. He condemned the house arrest of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
Lord Qurban Husain Secretary General All Party Parliamentary Group for Kashmir and Lord Wajid Khan Vice Chair All Party Parliamentary Group for Kashmir pledged their full support in raising the issue of Kashmiri political prisoners both in British House of Commons and House of Lords. They said that the death of Ashraf Sehrai will not go in vain if we all work together to remind our government about the right of self-determination that was pledged to the people of Kashmir by the United Nations, including our own government in UK.
President, World Kashmir Awareness Forum Dr. Ghulam Nabi Mir while expressing condolences to the Sehrai family and millions of Kashmiris, said that Sehrai was one of the heroes of Kashmir freedom movement. He was the man of stature, public appeal and faith. Sehrai was loved by all including non-Muslim communities in IIOJK. Dr. Mir warned that Sehrai’s death was a direct result of Indian government’s complicity. He appealed to the UN, UNHCR and powerful nations to demand release of all Kashmiri political prisoners earnestly in view of danger to the lives of prisoners in the Covid affected prison system of India.
Senior Kashmiri Hurriyat leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salavation Movement JKSM Altaf Ahmad Bhat expressed deep concern over Covid-19 situation in IIOJK in general and in various prisons in particular where Indian occupational authorities have detained Kashmiri leadership, including Aasiya Andrabi, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Alam, Dr Qasim Faktoo, Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Shakeel Ahmed, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Fehmeeda Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Zahoor Ahmed.
President TeK Europe Muhammad Ghalib described Sehrai as a thinker, scholar and a person of unshakeable determination.
Secretary General Shamim Shawl of Tehreek-e-Khawateen Kashmir and APHC representative said that the 78-year-old Sehrai had been facing detention under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) which is a draconian law. We must raise our voice in order to deter India to take such measures in future.
President, UK Islamic Mission Zia -ul-Haq offered his condolences not only to the family of Sehrai but to the whole nation of Kashmir. Haq said that Sehrai was suffering from multiple diseases and reportedly not provided treatment during his incarceration. It is clear violation of Fourth Geneva Convention and it must be condemned by all civilised nations.
The TeK Italy leader Mehmmod Sharief said that Sehrai was the political voice of IIOJK people and his death is a political killing that must be investigated at international level. Mohammad Saeed Choudary re-counted last words of Sehrai ” they have brought me here (to prison) to kill me so do not make efforts for my release”.
The memorial was concluded by Haq with Dua for Sehrai and other martyrs of IIOJK.
