House Arrest an Attempt to Silence Kashmir’s Voice Amidst Civilian Killings in Army Custody: Mehbooba Mufti

House Arrest an Attempt to Silence Kashmir’s Voice Amidst Civilian Killings in Army Custody: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Dec 25, KDC: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday was placed under house arrest ahead of her visit to Surankote where civilians have been killed in army custody.

Speaking to press over telephone, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com, the PDP President said that her residence has been locked by the police and a contingent of forces has been deployed on the roads leading to her house. “There are very perturbing reports coming in from Poonch. They have not only taken people in custody from one particular area but people from Thana Mandi, Pargai and adjoining hamlets are also being bundled. Such is the harsh treatment that many there are in critical conditions in hospitals,” Mehbooba said.

She added that her going to Poonch and talking to the victims whose dear ones have been killed in custody by the army was important. However, said the PDP President, by arresting me, they (government) want to send a message that people of Jammu and Kashmir have no voice, and no one to inquire about. “The government wants to send a message all across to the already disenfranchised people of Jammu and Kashmir that you have no-one who could make a query about your welfare. We will torture you, but won’t allow anyone to mitigate your sufferings—such a great injustice, what can be worse than this?”

She added that from Thana Mandi Pargai, a boy named Farooq is stuck in the struggle between life and death in the hospital. In 2005, militants attacked him, killing five members of his family. “What more sacrifice can a person give for the country? Now they have arrested him and tortured him to the extent that he is currently struggling for life in the hospital. So much injustice. Gone is the rhetoric of Dil our Dilli ki Douri ko khatam karna hai-these heart-wrenching situations are changing the equations,” Mehbooba said.

The PDP President said that the establishment here is treating the people of Jammu and Kashmir as enemies of the state, which, in her opinion, will not find a parallel in the world. “They beat people, torture them in custody, make a video, and circulate it. It is common sense that a civilian cannot make a video inside the army custody and circulate it. They want to convey this message to all people that this is what we are capable of doing. How much fear do they want to instill in all of us?” (KDC)