JKLF UK Chapter marked the 33rd martydom anniversary of Maqbool Butt Shaheed

London 11 Feb, 2017: Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) UK Chapter marked the 33rd martydom anniversary of Maqbool Butt Shaheed with a huge protest outside Indian High Commission in London.

Defying the subzero temperatures, party members as well as members of Kashmiri community flocked from all over the UK to protest against the brutalities of India in Jammu Kashmir and to demand India to handover the remains of Maqbool Butt, whose extra judicial killing at the hands of India in 1984 has proved to be the ignition for one of the longest freedom movements in the recent history. The location of protest has become synonymous with protest site for Kashmiris as well as Indian minorities suffering from Indian state sponsored terrorism, and today's protest was one of the largest at the site since the dark day in 1984.

Protesters chanted slogans denouncing Indian terrorism and oppression in Jammu Kashmir and vowed to continue fighting for freedom and raising their voices against foreign occupation of Jammu Kashmir at every platform. Jammu Kashmir is the most militirized regions in the world, yet occupiers India and Pakistan have failed to breakdown the ever growing unarmed resistance of Kashmiris,and the protests today highlighted the fact that this resistance is growing by the day.

As done at the previous protests, a memorendum was due to be handed to Indian High Comissioner in the UK to demand the return of Maqbool Butt's and Afzal Guru's remains, immediate stoppage to Indian brutalities in Jammu Kashmir and for Kashmiris to be given their unfettered right of self determination. However, the magnitude of the protest and significant presence of media and local audience led to the Indian High Commission refusing to accept the Memorandum . It was yet another instance where the veil came off the fake claims of India of being a democracy.
India does not even have moral courage to face peaceful people of Jammu Kashmir and accept a memorandum.

Speaking to the media, senior JKLF leaders paid rich tribute to Maqbool Butt and urged India to stop killing innocent Kashmiris, as such brutalities are only serving the purpose of strengthening their indigenous freedom movement in Jammu Kashmir and fulfil its promises and human rights obligations by allowing Kashmiris to determine their own political future.

Protesters vowed to continue this national freedom movement started by Maqbool Butt Shaheed until the dream of complete independent Jammu Kashmir is realised.

The protest was one of the series of events organised by JKLF UK Chapter to mark February as 'Month of Maqbool', with another large gathering expected in Bradford on 19th February.