Sindh stands as one with Kashmir

Thousands attend rallies organised by govt and opposition parties

KARACHI:

Ruling and opposition parties are usually at loggerheads with one another, but Saturday was one of those rare occasions when all political forces stood as one to express their voice for the people of Kashmir.

The ruling party in the centre, Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf, took out a rally was from Insaf House to Mazar-e-Quaid to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day which marked on February 5 every year.

The participants of the rally condemned Indian atrocities on the people of Occupied Kashmir. They urged the United Nations and international community to resolve the Kashmir issue at once. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail was part of the demonstrators.

The rally was attended by PTI Karachi President Bilal Ghaffar, parliamentary leader Khurram Sher Zaman, MPAs Ataullah Khan, Fahim Khan, Raja Azhar, Dr Sanjay, Riaz Haider, Jamal Siddiqui and others.

Addressing the rally, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said that the entire nation stood as one with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. "Today is a day of shame for people advocating human rights as they do not see the bloodshed of Kashmiris. The purpose of gathering here is to embarrass them."

PTI Sindh Assembly Parliamentary Leader Khurram Sher Zaman said that the prime minister raised the issue of Kashmir all over the world. "Past governments have never raised their voice for Kashmir. The entire nation has expressed solidarity with the Kashmiri nation," he said.

PTI Karachi Division President Bilal Ghaffar said that on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, he would like to send a message to the United Nations. "We stand with our Kashmiri brothers.

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The ruling force in Sindh, Pakistan Peoples Party, also took out a procession in the city.

Addressing the Kashmir Solidarity Rally, PPP Karachi Division President and Sindh Minister for Information and Labour Sindh Saeed Ghani, PPP Sindh Secretary General Waqar Mehdi, Javed Nagori, Provincial Minister Shehla Raza, MNA Dr Shahida Rahmani, Iqbal Kashmiri, Asif Khan, Zafar Iqbal and others said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto raised his voice on the Kashmir issue. They were sure the matter would be resolved under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto.

In the long march from Karachi on February 27, Kashmiris will also go to Islamabad to settle a score with the government, they said. The PPP leaders accused the central government of selling Kashmir to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Kashmir Solidarity Day, a rally was organised under PPP Karachi division and PPP Azad Jammu and Kashmir-Sindh Zone. Processions from all over Karachi participated in the rally.

A large number of PPP district presidents, parliamentarians, officials and workers attended the rally, chanting slogans to express their solidarity with Kashmiris.

On this occasion, participants of the rally torched the effigy of the Indian prime minister and the Indian flag, besides strongly condemning Indian atrocities on Kashmiris.

Addressing the rally, Sindh Minister for Information and Labor Saeed Ghani said PPP had raised the issue of Kashmir on the international level. "The present government is silent against the oppression of Kashmiris. The incompetent government in the country has damaged the Kashmir cause."

He added that in 2019, the Indian government consolidated its control over Kashmir against which the prime minister expressed his helplessness. The minister said the Kashmir issue is the real dispute between India and Pakistan.

"Due to the weak foreign policy of the international community, the issue of Kashmir stands with India instead of Pakistan. Muslim countries are also reluctant to support Kashmiris. We will make the Kashmir issue a flash point under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto."

He said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has raised his voice in support of Kashmiris at every forum.

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Meanwhile, thousands of people took part in Jamaat-e-Islami's rally to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. The party took out a massive Kashmir Solidarity March, demanding practical steps instead of useless resolutions for the freedom of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Thousands of people, belonging to all walks of life, marched from Jail Chowrangi to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The participants, carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans against Indian brutalities in Occupied Kashmir.

JI Pakistan Deputy Chief Asadullah Bhutto, JI Karachi Chief Engineer Naeemur Rehman and others addressed the rally.

Asadullah Bhutto said that the people of Kashmir don't need the articulate speeches of Prime Minister Imran Khan, but practical steps to end their prolonged slavery. He added that unfortunately PM Imran Khan was out of the country even on this important day.

Highlighting the dual standards and of the United Nations and global community, he said swift actions were taken when it came to issues pertaining to people, but the issues of Muslims of the world are kept in limbo.

Referring to a segment of the NGO sector, Bhutto further said that the 'candle mafia' should have come forward to support the oppressed people, including women and children, Occupied Kashmir.

He further said that late Qazi Hussain Ahmed had initiated the move to observe February 5th as Kashmir Solidarity Day. He also hailed the people of Kashmir for their show of love for Pakistan.

Leaders of the ASWJ, Sunni Ulema Council, Tahafuz-e-Pakistan Council, Ahle Sunnat Lawyers Forum, Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party, Sunni Action Committee and other organisations participated in it.

Addressing the participants of the rally, ASWJ central president Allama Aurangzeb Farooqi, Karachi Division President Allama Rabb Nawaz Hanafi, General Secretary Allama Taj Muhammad Hanafi, Maulana Mohi-ud-Din Shah, Karachi Spokesperson Maulana Omar Muawiyah, Maulana Abdul Rafay, Maulana Shakeel-ur-Rehman and others said that despite the passage of 74 years, Muslims of Occupied Kashmir were still victims of Hinduism.

They pointed out that last year, Kashmiri Muslims suffered a lot more due to the unprecedented level of Indian atrocities. The ASWJ leaders said that the honour of mothers and sisters was being trampled on a daily basis. "India has made it a game to shoot those who raise their voice for the right to self-determination."

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International human rights organizations have kept mum on Indian bullying. The United Nations, the so-called epitome for justice and human rights around the world, has passed resolutions that Kashmiris will be given the right to self-determination, but the same UN Nations is not serious about implementing its own resolutions.

By expressing solidarity with Kashmiris across the country on February 5, the people of Pakistan have proved to the world that they stand by Kashmiris for their right to self-determination and justice.

Another demonstration was held in front of Karachi Press Club under the All India Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference Sindh Circle on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Speaking to media on the occasion, Karachi Muslim Conference Sindh Circle General Secretary Rana Azizul Hassan said that 914 days have passed since the lockdown of Indian forces in occupied Kashmir, but the stubbornness of the Modi government remained.

He said it was a moment of shame for international organidations working for so-called world peace. "If there are problems of non-Muslims anywhere in the world, then the conscience of the whole world is awakened, but when it comes to Kashmir and Palestine, they conveniently keep mum.

He urged the Pakistani rulers to look at their foreign policy. "Create a policy that reflects the aspirations of the Pakistani and Kashmiri people and is in the national interest."

Kashmir Liberation General Secretary Nazir Butt also spoke on the occasion.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2022.