Celebrations in Indian occupied Kashmir after Pakistan win

[Naveed Yaseen]

Celebrations in IHK after Pakistan win

SRINAGAR: Residents in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) on Sunday set off fire-crackers in Srinagar after Pakistan beat Sri Lanka to win the World Twenty20 championship, witnesses said.

Srinagar erupted in celebration as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets and scores of Kashmiri youth poured on to the streets and lit firecrackers.

The youths also chanted pro-Pakistan and pro-freedom slogans as Indian paramilitary troops stayed in their bunkers, witnesses said.

Thousands of Kashmiris, including women and children, were glued to their televisions sets to watch the tense final. "It is a great victory and one day I hope we will merge with Pakistan," said a die-hard Pakistani cricket fan, Muhammed Yaseen.

Residents in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley traditionally support Pakistan in sports events.

IHK is in the grip of a nearly 20-year insurgency that has so far claimed more than 47,000 lives by an official count.

Islamabad denies Indian allegations that it funds and arms the insurgency. Most militant groups want IHK to merge with Pakistan, and a few want the region to become independent. afp

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_27