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Exiled Kashmiri leader and spokesperson of the United Kashmir People's National Party Nasir Aziz Khan has alleged that Pakistan has been waging a proxy war in Kashmir since 1998 and had been using the religious sentiment of the Kashmiri people, adding that slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was also part of that war.
"Kashmiris are pro-peace and peace loving people and they believe in peace and harmony. If we look into history, 4000-6000 years ago, Kashmiris whether they were Hindus and Muslims, they were living with peace and harmony. But unfortunately since 1998, Pakistan has started a proxy war in Kashmir, are using the religious sentiment of the Kashmiri people and Burhan Wani was also part of that movement -- I mean the proxy war of Pakistan," Khan said.
Stating that terrorist have similar fate worldwide as that of Wani, he said, "If we see in the whole world, terrorists are treated and eliminated by the same way, whether they are in Syria, the US, the UK, and Spain or in Pakistan. If a terrorist attacks any government building, civilians or law enforcement agencies, they are killed by the same way."
Pointing out that in state relations there is no elder or younger brother and every state has its own interest whether it is Pakistan or any other country, Khan said, "We should keep in mind that Pakistan is using religion as a weapon and they are exploiting the religious sentiment of the Kashmiri youth. And, Burhan was also issuing statements that he is going to attack law enforcement agencies -- army and police -- in Kashmir."
Khan also warned the Kashmiri people, "And one thing we should keep in mind that Pakistan has no love with Kashmiris. It is exploiting religious sentiments of the Kashmiris and is plundering their natural resources."
He called upon them to join hands with the secular democratic forces of Kashmir because, according to him, that is the only way through which they can achieve freedom and their rights.
"Those people who take guns, their families are suffering. Burhan Wani is eliminated, but his family and all Kashmiri society are suffering due to their wrong doings. Their struggle has nothing to do with Islam, as Islam doesn't allow attacking civilians, killing children and women. Our youth should understand that we can only-only achieve our goal through dialogue and peaceful means and the Kashmir issue should be resolved through peaceful means as per wishes and aspiration of the Kashmiri people," Khan told ANI.
Alleging that there are few people who are trying to communalise society, he warned, "Kashmiri should understand that the Kashmir issue can be resolved through peaceful means and dialogue. Pakistan will not give us freedom or any country will not give us freedom. The only way that should we keep in our minds that we can achieve our freedom and our course through peaceful means through dialogues."
Citing examples of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the UKPNP spokesperson said, "When we see in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan, Arif Shahid, who was the chairman of the All Party's National Alliance of different nationalist parties and groups, he was eliminated in Islamabad -- a targeted killing, but the media were silent on the both side, whether Indian or Pakistani media, they did not highlight that issue."
Mir Murtza Ali in Kotli, he alleged, was kidnapped and killed by army personnel because he walked nearby the check post of the army.
An innocent Kashmiri, Sarfaraz Shah, who was killed by Pakistani rangers in a Karachi park, was begging for his life but security forces did not forgive him, they kill him, he alleged, adding that he was without arms, he was innocent, but he was killed and our media remained silent.
Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen, who was killed by security forces in an ecounter on Friday night, was buried in his native place Tral on Saturday, while violent mobs attacked installations of police and paramilitary forces at various places in the Valley and set ablaze several buildings including three police installations.