Hurriyat chairman put under house arrest ahead of rally

Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest today, a day ahead of his proposed rally to commemorate the death anniversary of his father who was assassinated by gunmen in 1990, the conglomerate said.
However, despite the house arrest, Hurriyat activists organised a rally in a downtown area of Srinagar which was addressed by Farooq over telephone. Pakistani flags were also hoisted at some places during the protest.
"Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest this morning, thus preventing him from attending 'Hafta Shahadat' (martyrdom week) programme," a Hurriyat spokesman said here.
He termed the move as "state-sponsored terrorism and an example of aggressive politics".

The spokesman said, "When Kashmiris were peacefully organizing Hafta Shahadat to remember martyrs, placing Mirwaiz under house arrest was like rubbing salt over the wounds of Kashmiris and playing with their emotions and aspirations."
The moderate Hurriyat Conference had planned a rally at Eidgah to pay tributes to Mirwaiz's father Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone on their death anniversaries tomorrow.

Moulvi Mohammad Farooq was shot dead by militants on May 21, 1990 while Lone fell to the bullets of militants during a commemoration rally for the former on the same day in 2002.
Hurriyat activists organised a rally at Rajouri Kadal in downtown area of the city here.

In a telephonic address to the rally, the Mirwaiz termed his house arrest as the "worst form of dictatorial politics".
He said, "Once again the so-called government violated basic human and democratic codes."
He appealed the people to observe a complete strike tomorrow and march towards Eidgah.
Meanwhile, Pakistani flags were hoisted at some places in downtown during the rally.