Shabir Shah among 35 Hurriyat leaders arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 26 (UNI) At least 35 leaders of the Hurriyat Conference (Mirwaiz), including Shabir Ahmed Shah and Nayeem Ahmed Khan, were today arrested by police immediately after they submitted a memorandum to United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOG) at Sonawar.

The Hurriyat leaders reached UNMOG at Sonawar and presented a memorandum.

However, the police swung into action after learning about the Hurriyat leaders meeting to UNMOG officials.

The police later arrested 35 Hurriyat leaders, including Mr Shah, Mr Nayeem Khan, Mr Fazal Haq Qureshi, Mr Shiekh Aziz and Zafar Akbar Bhat.

They were lodged in police station Ram Munshi Bagh.

Earlier, in the memorandum on the 59th Republic day, the Hurriyat Conference alleged that ''India was holding Kashmir and its people with a military might.'' The people of Jammu and Kashmir expect that the world body would be more concerned about just resolution of the problem through implementation of UN resolutions of August 13, 1948 and January 5, 1949, by virtue of these, the right of self determination of the people of this place has been internationally recognised.

The Memorandum urged India and Pakistan to facilitate the implementation of these resolutions, through a plebiscite to enable the people of the place to exercise this fundamental right.

Unfortunately, the resolutions are yet to be implemented and the activities of United Nations, towards their implementation are quite dismal, it said.

Acting chairman Moulana Abbas Ansari in the memorandum further urged UN Secretary General to take all steps for implementation of resolutions by effectively persuading both India and Pakistan to fulfill their commitment and international obligations by allowing the resolution of the problem through exercise of self-determination by the people of this place.

''While saying so, we want to place on record our good wishes for peace and prosperity of both the countries, which only can ensure regional peace in this part of world for its strategic sensitivity towards international peace,'' the memorandum said.

UNI BAS FMH MS1633