The violence occurred as hundreds of militants and political activists
took to the streets in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to commemorate the
death of Burhan Wani, a militant killed by the army after urging the
region’s mainly Muslim population to rise up against Indian forces.
A Reuters witness saw
protesters holding Pakistani flags and banners and shouting slogans
lauding the sacrifice of Wani and others, while pledging to carry on the
holy war in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“Jihad is our path, freedom is our destination,” they shouted while holding up portraits of the slain militant.
In Indian-controlled Kashmir, another Reuters witness
saw demonstrators wearing face masks throwing stones at police in
downtown Srinagar, the region’s summer capital. Police retaliated with
teargas and stones thrown using slingshots.
Indian authorities blocked Internet access in Kashmir on Friday and
sealed off his home town after Wani’s supporters said they would stage
demonstrations to mark the anniversary.
Five people died on Pakistan’s side of the disputed border and 10 were
wounded in cross-border shelling, local police officials told Reuters.
Pakistan’s government said it summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner
J.P. Singh over what it called “unprovoked ceasefire violations”.
The Indian army’s defence spokesman said two civilians were killed on
its side of the frontier and two injured due to shelling by Pakistani
troops. The army responded in kind to the Pakistani shelling, he said.
Militant commander leads protest
The South Asian neighbours have fought two of their three wars since
independence in 1947 over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which they both claim
in full but rule in part.
India blames Pakistan for pushing in militants from its part of Kashmir to carry out attacks, a charge denied by Islamabad.
India has been struggling to restore normality in Kashmir, deploying
thousands more soldiers after Wani’s killing appeared to breathe new
life into a 28-year armed revolt that had ebbed, with little
international attention.
A Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant commander, who Washington last week
added to a list of global terrorists, called for a strike on Saturday to
mark Wani’s killing and led the protest in Muzaffarabad, the capital of
Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Syed Salahuddin’s United Jihad Council, an umbrella body of anti-India
militants based in Pakistan-held Kashmir, vowed to continue its struggle
to liberate Kashmir and called upon Islamabad to support their efforts
“militarily.”
“Diplomatic, moral and political support will not work anymore,” he
said, addressing a large crowd gathered in an open space in
Muzaffarabad.
He said a tripartite dialogue between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris
to resolve the dispute in accordance with UN Security Council
resolutions, would be welcomed. – Reuters