http://www.kashar.net/kashmir/complete.asp?id=2764
Elections not free, fair: Shabir
SRINAGAR, Apr 28 (SANA): President of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah has ridiculed the government claim that by-elections were held in a free and fair atmosphere.
During an interaction with a Swedish delegation at his residence, Shah alleged that the separatists were not allowed to run the anti-election campaign.
"We were not allowed to go into the areas to run our campaign effectively. I was placed under house arrest for four consecutive days", he said.
The DFP president asked as to why the government was not going for plebiscite if it was satisfied that people voted freely in the by-polls. He alleged that as the election process began, security forces had threatened the people of dire consequences if they did not vote. Shah stated that government of India has not taken any meaningful or result oriented step for the solution of Kashmir issue.
He viewed that even the Indo-Pak confidence building measures have not made any headway as far as Kashmir is concerned.
"The two countries are moving fast on confidence building front. But there is no effect on the ground situation in Kashmir", the DFP president said.
Instead of reducing the number of security forces, more troops are being brought here. Earlier the forces would occupy land and buildings. But now the land is being allotted to them formally so that they can set up cantonments on permanent basis, he observed.
Shah alleged that human rights violations are increasing with every passing day. Innocents are being killed and arrested day in and day out.
The DFP president said the need of the hour is to stop the human rights abuses and initiate tripartite talks for the solution of Kashmir issue.
SRINAGAR, Apr 28 (SANA): President of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah has ridiculed the government claim that by-elections were held in a free and fair atmosphere.
During an interaction with a Swedish delegation at his residence, Shah alleged that the separatists were not allowed to run the anti-election campaign.
"We were not allowed to go into the areas to run our campaign effectively. I was placed under house arrest for four consecutive days", he said.
The DFP president asked as to why the government was not going for plebiscite if it was satisfied that people voted freely in the by-polls. He alleged that as the election process began, security forces had threatened the people of dire consequences if they did not vote. Shah stated that government of India has not taken any meaningful or result oriented step for the solution of Kashmir issue.
He viewed that even the Indo-Pak confidence building measures have not made any headway as far as Kashmir is concerned.
"The two countries are moving fast on confidence building front. But there is no effect on the ground situation in Kashmir", the DFP president said.
Instead of reducing the number of security forces, more troops are being brought here. Earlier the forces would occupy land and buildings. But now the land is being allotted to them formally so that they can set up cantonments on permanent basis, he observed.
Shah alleged that human rights violations are increasing with every passing day. Innocents are being killed and arrested day in and day out.
The DFP president said the need of the hour is to stop the human rights abuses and initiate tripartite talks for the solution of Kashmir issue.
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