LAHORE, Oct 27: Various Kashmiri organizations observed a black day by holding a rally at Faisal Chowk on Monday to mark their protest against the landing of Indian troops in the valley on Oct 27, 1947.

The rally, after speeches by various Kashmiri leaders, passed a resolution condemning the invasion of Kashmir by India. It also condemned India for going back on its commitment of allowing the people of Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN resolutions. India had rejected the resolutions after agreeing with Pakistan and giving an assurance to the international community that it would implement them by holding a plebiscite in Kashmir.

The resolution also condemned Indian atrocities in held Kashmir during the past 14 years in which some 85,000 people had been killed, thousands of women gang-raped and public property worth billions of rupees destroyed or burnt.

India has nefarious designs against Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. It has been refusing many sincere offers of Pakistan for talks to settle the Kashmir issue and expressing its resentment against the efforts of the international community for a peaceful solution to the issue. It believes in solving the problem by fraud or force which has been its modus operandi viz-a-viz Pakistan.

The resolution also referred to the recent Indian offer of a 12-point package of confidence building measures. It said whereas these points had touched some issues, there were neither any mention of the Kashmir issue nor any reference to the much-desired talks with Pakistan. Without the settlement of the Kashmir issue according to wishes of the people of Kashmir, no confidence building measures would help settle the thorny problem, it said.

The resolution paid homage to the valiant people of Kashmir and assured them that Pakistanis and their brethren Kashmiris on this side of the LoC would never abandon their cause which was much nearer to a solution now than it had ever been during the last 56 years.

The rally was led by Kashmir Action Committee Pakistan president Dr Muzaffar Shah and attended by the representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, AJK Jamaat-i-Islami, Qaumi Mahaz Rai Shumari, Kashmir Social Welfare Centre, Voice of Kashmir, Kashmir Centre and the AJK PPP.

The participants in the rally were carrying banners with inscriptions condemning India for its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and demands for holding a plebiscite in the Valley.