HYDERABAD: The General Officer Commanding of Hyderabad Garrison, Major General Muhammad Kashif Azad, has said India tried to portray the freedom movement in Indian occupied Kashmir with terrorism but it failed.

"The people of Kashmir proved that for the freedom movement there was a need of passion not weapons," Azad observed while addressing a ceremony in connection with the Independence Day at Sindh University, Jamshoro, the other day, according to a press release issued on Friday.

He underscored the need of raising voice against the oppression of Kashmiris in IoK by the Indian forces.

He recalled that when Azad Kashmir became separated from India, the neighbouring country went to the United Nations asking for a resolution for holding referendum to decide about the future of the valley.

"Taking advantage of that resolution India sent its military in the valley to strengthen its control. But India didn't realize that Kashmiris would never accept their occupation," he observed.

The Maj Gen said the terrorist leaders never appear in public and move around freely whereas the Kashmiri leaders led the people from the front in their peaceful political movement.

He said in the ongoing use of force in IoK India even did not allow Kashmiris to offer Eid prayer and a curfew continued in the valley since early August.

"The Indian barbarity had been exposed before the world. This was why today the whole world was talking about the Kashmir issue," he said.

The Maj Gen likened the passion for creation of a Muslim country in the form of Pakistan with the present political aspiration and passions of Kashmiris.

Kashif Azad said even the Christians and scheduled caste Hindus besides Muslims were subjected to atrocities by the Hindu majority.

Whereas, the people associated with any religion, sect or ethnic identity were free to live in peace in Pakistan.

The Vice Chancellor Sindh University Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat also spoke on the occasion.