Arrest of Khawaja Hassan condemned, Dr Shabir Choudhry

Khawaja Hassan, a leader of NSF went to his homeland – Muzaffarabad, after ten years. He was not allowed to enter AJK by local police on pretext that he had a Belgian Passport; and as a ‘foreign citizen’ he had to get a NOC from Islamabadto enter Azad Kashmir. He had a valid visa to go to Pakistan.

That is disgraceful. Khawaja Hassan is a son of soil and has every right to go home, meet his family, friends and interact with other people and take part in social, cultural and political activities.

Khawaja Hassan has always opposed me and my party, but on this occasion we extend full support to him and his party; and strongly condemn action of the puppet government of Azad Kashmir.

My local contacts told me that Khawaja Hassan was warmly received by more than 300 people at the KohalaBridge. He is in custody of the local police. We demand that he must be released immediately and be allowed to continue his visit without any further obstacles.

KNP always take lead in opposing infringement of civil liberties; and exposing Kashmirpolicy of Pakistanand their puppets in Azad Kashmir.

Here it would be appropriate to make a comparison that Srinagargovernment has even allowed those people to come there and resume their normal lives who went across the LOC to get weapons, get training from ISI and who were involved in militancy. Just imagine if Khawaja Hassan had gone to Indiato get training, get weapons and had supported militancy on the Pakistani side of the LOC, then what would have been the attitude of the Pakistani government and their puppets in Azad Kashmir.

We need to understand that both Indiaand Pakistanhave their vested interest in Kashmirand both use different strategies to keep us under control, so we should not be under any illusions that because rulers in Islamabadare Muslims or have Muslim names, they are different from those in New Delhi. END