Rallies mark Kashmir Siege Day

LAHORE:

To reiterate condemnation of the August 5, 2019 action of Modi government and express solidarity with Kashmiri people, ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ or the ‘Day of Exploitation’ was observed across Punjab, including the provincial capital, on Wednesday.

Various rallies and seminars were held across Punjab to observe the first anniversary of New Delhi's actions that stripped Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) of its special status.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar led the main rally from Governor House to Punjab Assembly to express solidarity with Kashmiris on Youm-e-Istehsal. Provincial Ministers Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Yasmin Rashid, Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial, Akhtar Malik and Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf Central Punjab President Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry participated in the rally along with members of parliament.

The anthems of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were aired and sirens blared to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Occupied Kashmir. The participants expressed their unanimity by forming a human chain at Faisal Chowk and chanted “Kashmir will become Pakistan.” They shouted slogans for Kashmir solidarity.

Addressing the rally participants, Sarwar said Modi was a disciple of Hitler. He said all Kashmiris including elderly, women and children have been subjected to extreme violence and no one was safe from the oppression of the Indian army.

“Kashmiri women have to face abductions, illegal detentions and sexual assaults at the hands of Indian security forces. The fascist Modi government is carrying out ethnic cleansing of innocent Kashmiris. It is beyond doubt that Modi is the murderer of humanity and an enemy of world peace,” he remarked.

“When Narendra Modi became chief minister, he persecuted thousands of innocent Muslims and even today all religious minorities including Muslims are not safe in India.” He said that Narendra Modi and RSS goons are forcibly converting Christians and believers of other faiths into Hindus. “The world has been a silent spectator of these atrocities in Kashmir and India.”

Addressing the rally participants, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said the whole nation was celebrating the day with fervour. He paid rich tribute to the continuous struggle of Kashmiris against Indian subjugation and declared that Kashmiris live in the hearts of the Pakistanis. “We cannot forget them and will continue to side with them,” he added.

“Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had rightly termed Kashmir as jugular vein of Pakistan and it’s incomplete without the state of Kashmir. We cannot back off from the core issue of Kashmir.”

Buzdar announced that a road will be named as Srinagar Road in every district of Punjab. “Today, the whole nation has observed Youm-e-Istehsal and this has sent a clear message to the world that Pakistan will not shy from any sacrifice for the freedom of Kashmir.”

Sargodha

The district administration on Wednesday organised a rally to mark the Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir. The rally, led by Sargodha Commissioner Dr Farah Masood, started from main gate of the university and concluded at District Court Chowk.

Siren was sounded before the start of the rally while one-minute silence was also observed. A large number of people from different walks of life participated in the rally.

Faisalabad

Rallies were also taken out in Faisalabad district against the lockdown imposed by India for one year in the illegally occupied territory.

A siren was sounded at 9:58am before the rally. The central rally organised by the district administration started from District Council Chowk. The participants marched through Khaliq Qureshi Chowk, outside Press Club and Kachehri Bazaar Chowk. The procession concluded at Clock Tower. Signboards of Muzaffarabad and Srinagar were installed at the starting and ending points respectively.

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