India cannot suppress rights of Kashmiris by force: Mahmood Khan

K-P CM says people of Pakistan would always support Kashmiris struggle for the right to self-determination

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Wednesday said that India must understand that it cannot suppress the fundamental rights of Kashmiris through violence.

Addressing a public gathering at Nishtar Hall in the provincial capital to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, the chief minister said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is moving forward with an extremist ideology, but he must understand that India cannot use violence to suppress the fundamental rights of Kashmiri people.

CM Mahmood said that people of K-P are ready to render any kind of sacrifice to help the people of Kashmir in their struggle for the right to self-determination.

Pakistan’s stance over Kashmir is clear and it will always raise voice for people of Kashmir at every international forum, he added.

Mahmood further said that India cannot fulfil its nefarious design to rule Kashmir through a policy of oppression and persecution. He said that Kashmir is an inseparable part of Pakistan and India will fail in its attempt to annex the occupied territory and usurp rights of Kashmiri people.

The K-P chief minister further said that India has not only deprived Kashmiris of their basic right of self-determination for the last seven decades, but the victimisation of Kashmiris has increased manifold after August 5, 2019, when New Delhi controversially ended the special status assigned to the occupied territory in the Indian Constitution.

Mahmood said that the time has come for international human rights organisations and the UN to take serious action against India, which had been oppressing Kashmiris for the past seven decades.

Earlier, a minute’s silence was observed. A rally was also organised to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Governor Shah Farman

K-P Governor Shah Farman on Wednesday said that people of Pakistan will always support the struggle of Kashmiris for the right to self-determination.

In a message on Kashmir Solidarity Day, the K-P governor said that India has openly flouted international laws, human rights and other international conventions.

The recent step taken by the Indian government to abolish the special status of the occupied Kashmir was shameful and it needs the attention of the international community and human rights institutions.

University of Peshawar

The faculty of social sciences at the University of Peshawar (UoP) and the University Model School took a rally on Wednesday and demanded of the United Nations to act firmly on Indian atrocities in the occupied Kashmir.

The rally started from four different points and converged at the Convocation Hall of UoP, where speakers called for unity to confront the belligerent Indian fascist narrative with the humanitarian and diplomatic narrative.

Cycle race

Ahmed Zeb clinched the K-P Kashmir Day Cycling Race in Peshawar. The race had been organised by K-P Cycling Association to express solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir.

Social and political worker Malik Tariq Awan was the chief guest on the occasion. Pakistan Cycling Federation President Syed Azhar Ali Shah, K-P Cycling Association President Nisar Ahmad, Organising Secretary Sarmad Khan, officials, cyclists and a large number of spectators were also present at the Northern Bye-Pass Motorway Inter-Change M-I where the rally was organised.

Ahmad Zeb of District Mohmand raced up to the finish line of 28 kilometres in 42 minutes and 35 seconds. Sajjad Ali took the second position with 42 minutes and 40 seconds

Abbottabad

Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed in Abbottabad and Havelian areas through rallies

Havelian Girls Higher Secondary School organised an event in which students performed plays and made paintings to highlight the Indian atrocities.

Political workers of different political parties took part in a rally in Havelian.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2020.