Kashmiri Leaders Commemorate 11th Anniversary of Afzal Guru’s Martyrdom

Leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) have paid heartfelt tributes to Muhammad Afzal Guru on the 11th anniversary of his martyrdom, emphasizing the pivotal role of martyrs as the true heroes of Kashmiris in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Muhammad Afzal Guru was executed in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on this day in 2013, following a similar fate that befell liberation leader Muhammad Maqbool Butt in 1984. Both were laid to rest within the confines of the prison.

Nayeem Ahmad Khan, an illegally detained APHC leader, conveyed a message from Tihar Jail in New Delhi, underscoring the sacrifices of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Butt. He expressed pride in the courageous stand taken by these sons of Kashmir, who chose the gallows over compromising their principles.

Khan lamented the prejudice and political vendettas endured by Kashmiris at the hands of occupation authorities over the past 75 years. He denounced the execution of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Butt as a stain on India’s crumbling justice system. Despite facing adversities, Khan reaffirmed the commitment of Kashmiris to carry forward the mission of their martyrs.

Other incarcerated APHC leaders, including Molvi Bashir Ahmad, Bilal Siddiqi, and Abdul Ahad Parra, decried the Indian judiciary’s partisan approach and the denial of a fair trial for Afzal Guru. They regarded it as a grave violation of law and justice.

In statements issued from various jails, APHC leaders such as Syed Bashir Andrabi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, and Ms. Hafza expressed their determination to see the mission of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Butt through to its logical conclusion. They highlighted the unparalleled sacrifices made by the Kashmiri people over seven decades in their quest for freedom from the Indian illegal occupation.

Emphasizing the reality of the Kashmir dispute, the leaders asserted that it should only be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions and the genuine aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The commemoration serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and self-determination in the region, where the sacrifices of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Butt continue to fuel the determination of the Kashmiri people.