Separatists call for strike against shifting of Asiya

Separatist leaders on Friday called for a strike in Kashmir on Saturday against the shifting Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughter of Faith) chief Asiya Andrabi and her two associates to Delhi by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Reuters file photo

Separatist leaders on Friday called for a strike in Kashmir on Saturday against the shifting Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughter of Faith) chief Asiya Andrabi and her two associates to Delhi by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

In a statement Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik termed the NIA action “worst form of political vengeance and vendetta” against the separatist leadership. They appealed to people to observe complete shutdown and maintain civil curfew on July 7 against the shifting of Andrabi and her associates to Delhi by the NIA.

“The incarceration, intimidations and levelling fake allegations against leadership particularly DeM is unacceptable and outcome of vengeance,” the leaders said.

They alleged that the workers and leaders of Hurriyat Conference arrested by NIA have been ‘subjected to psychological torture and inhuman treatment by the NIA and the authorities in Tihar jail.’

The separatists had already called for a strike for July 8 on the second anniversary of slain Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.