Srinagar, The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir commemorated the martyrdom anniversaries of liberation leaders Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone, along with the martyrs of Hawal. The event was marked by tributes to their contributions to the Kashmiri freedom struggle.

According to Kashmir Media Service, both leaders had been assassinated on May 21 in separate incidents, years apart, under violent circumstances that profoundly impacted the region. Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq was killed at his home in 1990, followed by the deaths of over 70 mourners by Indian troops during his funeral procession. Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone met a similar fate in 2002 after a memorial gathering, highlighting the ongoing violence faced by those involved in the liberation efforts.

DFP spokesperson Advocate Arshad Iqbal, representing the jailed senior APHC leader Shabbir Shah, issued a statement in Srinagar reiterating the commitment to the freedom cause. He emphasized the historical significance of the leaders’ sacrifices and the continued resolve among Kashmiris to oppose Indian occupation. The statement also stressed the symbolic importance of their martyrdom in strengthening the locals’ desire for freedom and justice.

The DFP further criticized the conduct of elections by the Indian government in the region, dismissing them as inadequate substitutes for a plebiscite, and called on the international community to recognize the legitimacy of Kashmir’s self-determination struggle.