By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Indian authorities have disallowed the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha congregational prayers in the name of COVID-19 precautionary measure.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole in Srinagar.
The statement said that “All the Masajids and shrines shall remain closed for Nimaz (on Eid)”. As per statement, the meeting decided that no public transport except passenger auto/personnel vehicles shall be allowed to ply on the roads.
Meanwhile, Indian troops, in Indian held Kashmir, during overnight cordon and search operations and raids arrested at least eight youth in Budgam and Kupwara districts.
Five youth were arrested in Nasrullahpora area of Budgam district. The troops also damaged property and other valuables of the local people, Kashmir Media Service reported. The troops arrested three youth at Sadhana Pass in Kupwara district .A police officer told media men that soldiers from Indian Army’s 7 Rashtriya Rifles took part in the operation.
Meanwhile, a man was injured after some explosive
material went off in Rajouri district. The incident took place when the man was grazing his cattle near Line of Control in Bhawani area of Nowshera. In another incident, an Indian Central Reserve Police Force trooper committed suicide by shooting himself dead at Rambagh area of Srinagar.
On the other hand, a woman was killed and three other persons were injured when a vehicle, which was on its way from Gali Pindi towards Mandi fell down in a deep gorge near Noor Pur Gali in Poonch district. While, Mishal Malik, wife of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, Monday urged the world community and human rights organizations to put pressure on India to release Kashmiri prisoners whose lives in jails were at grave risk due to coronavirus pandemic.
Talking to Pakistan Television she, voicing her serious concern over the prevailing situation, emerged after the coronavirus outbreak, said there had been over hundred COVID-19 positive cases in Indian occupied jails where mostly youth and those associated with separatist parties were detained. She said mostly leadership of Kashmiris had been arrested and thrown behind the bars under the pretext of fake cases. Since the coronavirus epidemic threatens the lives of prisoners across the globe, there was a dire need to ask Indian government for releasing all prisoners without any further delay, she added.
She said the COVID-19 cases were increasing with each passing day and it may further spread due to over populated unhygienic jails’ conditions.
She said the brutal Indian troops were deliberately targeting the innocent people of Kashmir to suppress their indigenous freedom movement.
The world was silent for its economic and strategic interests, she said, adding, it was high time for Pakistan to go forward for some systematic foreign policy approach and take more practical steps to stop Indian brutalities in the occupied valley. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian brutalities had not scaled down. India was a terrorist and oppressor state, committing ethnic cleansing in the Indian occupied Kashmir, she added.
