Syed Salahuddin declared global terrorist: Kashmiri separatists to protest against US move tomorrow

Srinagar: Kashmiri separatists and another organisation United Jihad Council (UJC) based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Thursday called for protests after Friday’s prayers against the US decision to declare Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a “global terrorist”. [caption id=“attachment_2400302” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Reuters[/caption] Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, head of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik said protests will also be held against the “illegal and arbitrary” arrests and detention of the separatist leaders, activists and youth and raids being conducted across the valley. “This unjustified move (of declaring Salahuddin as global terrorist) by the US government to appease the Government of India and their (US) silence regarding the oppression and human rights situation in Kashmir, is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir who will strongly protest against it across the valley post Friday prayers tomorrow,” the separatists said in a statement. The separatist leaders expressed “deep regret and dismay over the complete silence by the US over the brutal oppression in Kashmir and failure to initiate any serious steps towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and for restoration of lasting peace and stability in the highly volatile region”. UJC, a conglomerate of over a dozen militant groups active in the valley, also called for protests after Friday prayers against the US government’s decision against its chief. In a statement issued here, the UJC said, “the people of Kashmir reject the US decision and will hold demonstrations tomorrow to convey a message to the outside world that their struggle will continue till the achievement of the goal.” Meanwhile, High Court Bar Association also denounced the US decision and said “Salahuddin is a symbol of resistance movement and the US decision will have no impact on the indigenous and legitimate struggle of the people of Kashmir.”