The Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, has written to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urging him to use his ‘good offices’ and ‘influence’ to persuade the Hurriyat Conference and Inter-Services Intelligence-backed ‘militant youths’ for a ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the letter dated 22 June 2017, written on behalf of Indian Muslims, the Islamic cleric has claimed that the volatile situation in the Kashmir Valley has created a ‘trying situation’ for the followers of Islam in India and is affecting them ‘directly’.
“Therefore, I and Muslims of India earnestly appeal to you that the only practical way is to ease tensions on the border, normalising the situation and initiation of dialogue between the two nations,” the Shahi Imam has written in the letter.
He has said that the people of the Kashmir Valley are living under the shadow of AK47s and facing death and destruction.
"As a paradise on earth, the once peaceful valley known for its joyous life has today become a valley of tears. Thousands of people are living, under the shadow of AK-47, a life besieged by bloodshed. People all over the world once considered the Kashmir Valley as the paradise on earth and today it has become an abattoir,” he wrote in the letter addressed to Sharif.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 999/year is the best way you can support our efforts.