Protesters all over the province chanted slogans against Indian occupation of Kashmir. PHOTOS: NNI/ONLINE
Peshawar
The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), All Jammu Kashmir Muslim League-Nawaz Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and other political organisations took out rallies in the provincial capital to observe Kashmir Day.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government’s coalition partner JI took out a rally on GT Road which began from Hashtnagri Chowk and concluded at Chowk Yadgar where party leaders addressed participants. On the occasion, K-P senior minister Sirajul Haq asked the federal government to take a firm stand on the issue of Kashmir.
Other party leaders including Bahraullah Khan, Hamdullah Jan, Sabir Hussain Awan, Kashif Azam and Hafiz Hashmat Khan, among others, were also present at the rally.
Meanwhile, in a separate protest, over 200 JuD activists held a motorcycle rally from Fawara Chowk to Hashtnagri. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the Indian occupation of Kashmir.
JuD senior leader Nasr Javed addressed protesters outside the Peshawar Press Club and condemned actions of the Indian government in the valley. “Indian forces are engaged in state terrorism and brutalities against innocent people of Kashmir,” said Javed.
He added relations between India and Pakistan will only improve once the Kashmir issue is resolved. Kashmiri leader of Dukhtaran-e-Millat Asiya Andarbi also addressed protesters via telephone.
“Kashmir will gain independence from India one day,” said Andarbi.
Various student wings of political parties also took out rallies in the city.
DI Khan
The DI Khan chapter of JI and JuD held separate rallies in connection with Kashmir Day in the city. The JI rally began from Town Hall and then joined the JuD rally at Toppan Wala. Traffic remained jammed at the surrounding roads for several hours because of the gathering.
JI District Ameer Maulana Salimullah Irshad, Naib Ameer Zahid Mohib and local leaders Haji Bashir Gun and Haji Aqil as well as JuD local leaders Atiqur Rehman Chuhan, Maulana Hafizullah and Bahi Muhammad Saud participated.
Several Kashmiri leaders addressed the rally.
Haripur
To mark the annual event of expressing solidarity with Kashmiris, the district administrations and managements of universities and private educational institutions arranged seminars and rallies in Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram and Kohistan.
The participants condemned Indian atrocities on the people of Kashmir and urged the United Nations Organization to take the matter seriously.
Abbottabad Deputy Commissioner Mateehullah Khan led a rally in the city, while a conference on Kashmir was held at the Mansehra campus of Hazara University.
The students of Smart Minds School arranged a programme on Kashmir wherein they showcased the natural beauty of the occupied valley through paintings and songs.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2014.
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