Not against return of Pandits, but won’t allow separate enclaves: Mirwaiz

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 25

Chairman of moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday asked people to follow the joint programme  issued by the separatists leaders to “safeguard the identity of J&K.”  

 Mirwaiz Farooq said this while addressing party gathering in Singhpora Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district yesterday.  “We will not allow government to make demographic changes in J&K.  Tactics are being used in the name Sanik Colony, industrial policy or separate townships to grab the land. We cannot remain silent on these anti- Kashmir policies and will safeguard the Kashmiri identity,” Miriwaz said.

 He added that they were not against the return of Kashmiri Pandits.  “But we  will not accept settling them in separate townships,” he said. The APHC chairman appealed to people to make the joint programme announced by separatists against these anti-Kashmir policies a success. On Monday, Mirwaiz Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik called on hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and they decided to call a general strike on May 26 against these “anti-Kashmir issues.”