Srinagar, July 23, KONS: In a significant development, the chairman of the United Jehad Council and supreme commander of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin, on Friday described prolonged shutdowns and curfew as “impracticable” in a long-drawn struggle, and asked the separatist leadership in Kashmir to chart out a “united and specific strategy” that kept public economy and education undisturbed and carried the movement against India forward.
Terming the current agitation as the “most sensitive and highly critical” juncture of the Kashmir movement which, according to him, was not a matter of a few days, Salahuddin said that a “serious strategy” was needed to give a specific direction to the campaign started by the masses so that their everyday business did not suffer, and the movement too was carried forward.
It is note worthy that the Kashmir valley has been paralysed by curfews and hartals for nearly a month in the wake of the Geelani led Hurriyat's protest calender following a spate of killings of civilians in police action.
“There is no need for prolonged shutdowns in the valley, as people should not suffer",he said proposing phase-wise strikes and district-wise marches, keeping other areas open, to expose Indian atrocities in Kashmir, and to keep the economy and education running.
“This is an organized movement which will continue till our sacrifices bear fruit, therefore prolonged hartals are impracticable in a long-drawn struggle,” he said.
Asserting that schools and colleges should remain open, Syed Salahuddin, however, asked parents to decide whether they wanted independence, and said that sacrifice was imperative for a great cause.
Salahuddin wanted Kashmiris to ponder to which account the “5 lakh lives” should be credited which had been sacrificed in the movement so far.
“Our careers and economy can be impacted in the fight for independence, and this is inevitable,” the UJC chief said.