Awami Ittehad Party stages protest against detention of Handwara youths

Awami Ittehad Party on Friday held a protest march in north Kashmir’s Handwara against the detention of local youths, who had uploaded social media posts criticising Israel and urging a boycott of Israeli products.

A party statement said the protest, led by AIP senior leader and Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed, was joined by scores of AIP activists and supporters. The protestors raised slogans demanding the immediate release of the detained youths. It said Khursheed and other protestors were stopped by police authorities during the march.

The party, which is headed by jailed MP Engineer Rashid, said officials assured the MLA that the detained youths, who were involved in uploading the video, would be released soon.

Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, Sheikh Khursheed said, “The people of Jammu & Kashmir voted in large numbers so that their voice could reach the highest platforms. Elected representatives have a duty to represent the sentiments and aspirations of the people, not suppress them.”

He further emphasised that expressing solidarity with the oppressed and calling for boycott of aggressors is a democratic right and must not be criminalised.

J & K