Srinagar, Dec 8: Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Saturday took out a protest march against the human rights violations in Kashmir Valley.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik had urged people to hold protests and observe Dec 03-09 as human rights week.
Heeding to the JRL call, dozens of KCCI members, chanting slogans and carrying placards to demand end to human rights violations in Kashmir, took out a rally from their office to Press Enclave here.
The protesting KCCI member’s claimed that peace will remain a distant dream until and unless the vexed Kashmir issue is resolved.
They said on one hand innocent civilians are being killed, maimed and arrested with impunity, while on the other hand peaceful protests to condemn what they termed “barbarism” are not being allowed.
Talking to reporters, KCCI president Sheikh Aashiq said traders are equally concerned over the deteriorating situation of the Valley and want the Kashmir issue to be resolved without any further delay.
He said trade fraternity has always been on the forefront to condemn human rights violations in Kashmir and their stance in this direction will remain unchanged.
“We are Kashmiri s first and then businessmen; we don’t always think about our business only but are equally concerned over what is happening in Kashmir. We condemn in strong words the brutality meted out to the people of Kashmir,” said Sheikh Aashiq.
Earlier a group of transporters on the call of JRL also held a peaceful sit-in protest at Pratap Park here demanding end to civilian killings.
Protesters amid sloganeering demanded end to civilian killings and asked the Government of India to resolve Kashmir issue as per the UN resolutions.
“We have assembled here on the call of JRL and the aim of holding this protest is to express solidarity with the people who were killed or left paralyzed. We demand immediate end to the cycle of violence which has so far claimed lives of thousands of people in Kashmir,” they said.
