Kashmiris across the Line of Control (LoC) on Monday observed a black day against the Indian occupation of Kashmir amid a renewed pledge to continue their struggle for the right to self-determination.
“India should give the right of self-determination to the people of Indian-administered Kashmir to bring peace in the region,” Minister For Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir said while addressing a huge public gathering in Muzaffarabad.
AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob and Acting Prime Minister Chaudhry Yaseen also addressed the black day gathering and said if the people of Scotland have been given the right to exercise the plebiscite why Kashmiris are being ignored since 1947.
Independence fighters
Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) supporters took out a rally from Neelum Bridge to Central Press Club to condemn the Indian occupation of Kashmir. The rally was led by the United Jihad Council (UJC) chief and Supreme Commander of HM Syed Sallahuddin. Addressing the rally, he said Kashmiris want freedom from the Indian occupation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no sympathy with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, his frequent visits to Srinagar are part of BJP’s attempts to encourage settling of Hindus in the territory, he said.
Meanwhile, in Kotli, Mirpur, Bagh and other district headquarters of AJK hundreds of people took to the streets to condemn the Indian occupation and shouted the slogans in favour of Kashmir freedom movement and against India.
Rallies were also held in Pakistani cities, particularly Lahore and Rawalpindi to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
Pakistanis are with Kashmiris
Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid on Monday said the whole nation stood united with the Kashmiri people in their struggle for the right to self-determination.
“The hearts and minds of all Pakistanis are with Kashmiris,” he said while speaking at a seminar on the Kashmir issue organised by the Youth Forum for Kashmir here at International Islamic University Islamabad.
India could not achieve its objectives of becoming a regional economic giant and having the status of a responsible state among the comity of nations, if it failed to resolve the Kashmir issue according to the United Nations resolutions and the commitment given by the then Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he said.
Rashid said India must accede to Kashmiris right of plebiscite. The Indian leadership should respect the promises made by their forefathers, he added.
He said the people and the government of Pakistan would continue to extend moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people for their right to freedom.
The minister said Pakistan stood by its commitment to the Kashmiri people which was evident from the recent address of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the United Nations General Assembly, he added.
Thousands of people attended the march in London to express solidarity with the people of Indian administered Kashmir. A large number of people from other nations also took part in the rally to express solidarity with the Kashmiris, he said.
The minister said India claims to be a responsible state, but resorts to violating Working Boundary and Line of Control by shelling and killing innocent citizens. Separately,
a function was held at the Embassy of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi today to observe Kashmir Black Day. A large number of Kashmiri community attended the gathering to condemn the human rights violations committed by Indian forces following Indian occupation of Kashmir in 1947.
Asif Durrani, Ambassador of Pakistan to UAE, spoke on the history and the significance of the longstanding issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2014.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
For a country that lives a lie, no one trusts you or believes you. Most nations support India, even the UK has said it is a bilateral issue. Remember that you were caught hiding Osma Bin Ladin. Not to mention all the other lies you have told the world. No one really trusts muslims or islamic nations. Remember the treaty of accession was signed in favour of India by the King of Kashmir. Pakistan invaded Kashmir and you annexed kashmir. Publish this or not, makes no difference, truth is the truth.
Kashmir day has become a festival day for Pakistanis. The Government should declare it a national holiday so that govt employees and students enjoy it with feasts and films.
The ruler of Jammu & Kashmir Riyasat executed the documents of the merger with India when kabayali from Pakistan attacked the riyasat and captured the area which is now termed as Azad Jammu and Kashmir. . History should be made known to the people of AJK. Distortion of facts are done to misguide. So decide where lies the fault.