SRINAGAR: Members of civil society, trade and tour organisations today staged demonstrations across Srinagar against the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag and sought an impartial probe into the terror attack.
Representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Centre for Research and Development Policy (CRDP) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) assembled at Pratap Park near the city centre, Lal Chowk, to raise their voice against last night's "barbaric" and "gruesome" killings. Khurram Parvez, coordinator of JKCSS, condemned the killings and sought an impartial probe by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) into the attack. He alleged that the country's probe agencies have failed to establish the truth in such killings in the past. "Kashmiris have always condemned such killings.
The UNHRC should be allowed to probe all mysterious killings that occurred in Kashmir, including at Nadimarg and Chhatisinghpora," Khurram told reporters.
The protest was joined by various trade and tourism organisations, journalists and separatists. Earlier, traders, tour operators, houseboat owners and hoteliers assembled in the press enclave here holding placards demanding an "independent probe" into the "brutal killings" and condemning the "barbaric attack".
Travel agencies, hotels and allied agencies will suspend their business tomorrow as a mark of protest and out of respect for the pilgrims. "Since we heard this bad news, we stand united with them (Amarnath yatris).
Those who died and suffered injuries, we went to see them," the protestors said. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) also took out a rally from their office near Polo View here and condemned the attack.
The KCCI demanded a judicial probe by a retired Supreme Court judge. KCCI member Ibrahim Shadad told reporters, "It is a very sad occasion for us.
We have always welcomed pilgrims. We Kashmiris have always cooperated with them and will continue to." Meanwhile, a human rights group today filed a petition in the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) here, demanding an investigation into yesterday's attack on the pilgrims.
"We have filed a petition before SHRC demanding it to investigate the attack on the Amarnath pilgrims," Chairman International Forum for Justice and Protection for Human Rights Mohammad Ahsan Antoo told PTI here. However, the SHRC is yet to admit his petition.