Hafiz killing: Army presence responsible for killing, says Geelani

Srinagar: Strongly condemning the killing of hafiz Mohammad Ashraf Lone, Hurriyat Conference(G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani Tuesday said the Army’s presence in civilian areas was responsible for such incidents.“Lakhs of people have been killed while as thousands have been disappeared and 2700 unidentified graves discovered,” he said, asking United Nation’s War Crime Tribunal to probe the “mysterious killings happening in Kashmir.”Geelani who visited Lone’s family in Achabal Sopore to express his condolences with the family said   the life and property of Kashmiris will remain under threat as long as the “Indian Army continues to occupy Kashmir.”“Neither will it be possible to identify the people involved in killing innocents,” he said while addressing a gathering in the area.Hafiz Mohammad Ashraf Lone was killed by unidentified gunmen at Kreeri area in the Baramulla district on Sunday last.  Hailing the sacrifices of Kashmiri people during the last six decades for the cause of freedom, Geelani urged people to stay away from National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress and other “pro-India parties who on one side show you the mirage of development and prosperity while on the other are hand in glove with the armed forces responsible for the sufferings of Kashmiris.”“ They lure you to Panchayati and other so-called elections against promises of development, etc and then use these elections to justify the Indian occupation of Kashmir on international forums,” he said.The Hurriyat(G) chairman also  flayed chief minister Omar Abdullah’s “attendance” at BadamiBagh cantonment, saying his meeting with Army top brass had shown once again that the “affairs of the state are being run by the Army.”“Omar Abdullah rushing to BadamiBagh to discuss law and order situation with the Army shows the puppet nature of the so-called state government and that nothing happens here without the permission of Army,” Geelani said.