Details

Written by: Press Trust of Kashmir

Created: 05 February 2019

SRINAGAR: Several rallies were carried out today in efforts to pull the world’s attention towards the plight of Kashmiri people living in miserable circumstances under the rule of Indian forces. One-minute silence was observed to pay homage to the martyrs of the freedom struggle of the Kashmir across the Pakistan. In Islamabad, civil society formed a human chain at D-Chowk to express solidarity with Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur asserted that the freedom struggle would continue till Kashmiris get their right to self-determination and honour. He added “Pakistan will continue its support to Kashmiris till achievement of their right to self-determination,” the minister said while addressing a ceremony to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day at Islamabad’s D-Chowk.

He urged the international community to play its positive role in realisation of right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The minister said that the Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Jammu and Kashmir and the UK’s All Parties Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG) have unveiled the decades long atrocities by India in Kashmir.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of students hailing from various colleges, schools and people belonging to various walks of the society. Besides, a large number of children gathered in the event organized at the historic Kohala Bridge, which forms part of one of the land routes from the Azad Kashmir to Pakistan.

Moreover, several walks and seminars have been organized to observed the Kashmir Solidarity Day. Participants of rallies chanted full-throat slogans against Indian atrocities in the Kashmir. On Mangla Bridge, people gathered and formed a human chain while urging the world to take effective measures to provide relief to Kashmiris on the priority basis. 

Furthermore, human chains were also formed at Kohala, Holar and Azad Pattan points linking Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. In Quetta, people organized demonstration to express support for the people of Kashmir. This year, the day is being observed in Pakistan and other parts of the world at a time when Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir have reached a new level of oppression and human rights’ denial to crush the indigenous freedom movement against the subjugating forces.

The government has planned a number of activities to mark the day and expose massive human rights violations being committed by brutal Indian forces to suppress the indigenous freedom movement of the people of Kashmir. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The main event will be held in Peshawar where the speakers will highlight Indian-state backed atrocities on innocent Kashmiris in the occupied territory. Rallies will be taken out across the city while a photo-exhibition has been organised to showcase Indian troops’ brutalities.

In Sindh, Balochistan, Rallies will be taken out across all major cities to mark the occasion. The entire nation stands with its Kashmiri brothers in their struggle to achieve the legitimate right to self-determination, said the president. He will address a session of the AJK Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad later in the day. In separate messages, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi reiterated Pakistan’s continued support and consistent stance on the Kashmir dispute.

“Freedom movement in the occupied Kashmir is strengthened every day,” said PM Imran. He said the conflict remained unresolved despite the passage of seven decades. President Alvi said the Pakistani nation stands with its “Kashmiri brethren in their valiant struggle to achieve the legitimate right to self-determination. It is our firm belief that Kashmiris will succeed in their struggle”.

Alvi is set to address a session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad. He will also attend an event organised in the federal cabinet to mark the day. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is in London to attend a conference held at the British Parliament to highlight Indian forces brutalities in Kashmir, reaffirmed Islamabad’s “unflinching support” to the Kashmiris “in their just and legitimate struggle for self-determination against wrongful Indian occupation.”

Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor says Kashmir remains a long pending unresolved issue on UN agenda since 1948. In a tweet he said “Kashmir remains a long pending unresolved issue on UN agenda since 1948. Decades of atrocities by Indian Occupation Forces have failed to suppress ever strengthening legitimate freedom struggle. Determined Kashmiris shall succeed IA.

Meanwhile Hurriyat Conference (M) chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed gratitude to Pakistan for its “unwavering and vigorous” support to the Right to Self-Determination of Kashmiris. “As Pakistan observes #KashmirSolidarityDay people of Jammu & Kashmir express their gratitude to the state and its people for their vigorous and unwavering support to our democratic struggle for right to self determination.Want to share that the backlash of grave human rights abuses, repression inflicted upon us the people of Kashmir for pursuing our dream is unprecedented! (SIC),” Mirwaiz wrote on twitter.