LAHORE: Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed with zeal in the provincial capital on Friday with participation from all major political and religious parties, labour and civil society organisations, legal and student fraternity and people from different walks of life.
Participants and keynote speakers blamed the UN and India for not implementing UN resolutions to resolve the Kashmir issue and putting peace of South Asia at stake. They demanded atrocities by the Indian Army against Kashmiris be stopped and urged global powers to liberate Kashmir.
The PML-N, PPP, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl not only held rallies but also set up camps to support the struggle of Kashmiris against Indian occupation. Members of All Pakistan Muslim League also held a rally.
The rallies started from Shimla Pahari, Nasser Bagh, Shah Jamal, Regal Chowk and Alhamra Hall and culminated at Faisal Chowk and Shimla Pahari where leaders addressed participants.
The Mall and adjacent roads and crossings were decorated with banners and posters featuring political and religious party members expressing unity with Kashmiris. Women and children also participated in the rallies.
Seminars were also arranged by educational institutions and non-governmental organisations to highlight the Kashmir issue. In the evening, members of Jamiat Mashaikh Pakistan lit candles at Faisal Chowk.
PTI leaders Ghulam Mohayyudin Awan, Chaudhry Sarwar and Ejaz Chaudhry addressing a rally warned Pakistani rulers to refrain from promoting personal relations and doing businesses with India, which was not only suppressing Kashmiris but also interfering in Pakistan by allegedly sponsoring terrorism.
JI General Secretary Liaquat Baloch alleged that Pakistani rulers had made every effort to sabotage Kashmiris’ liberation movement and were keen to “kiss hands” of Indian leaders soaked with the blood of Kashmiris. He said the responsibility of Indian Army’s atrocities on Kashmiris lay on Muslim rulers, especially Pakistani. He said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had also done little to solve the issues facing the Muslim world.
Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary Asad Manzur Butt said lawyers would raise the issue of Kashmiris’ freedom struggle at every forum.
Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) foreign affairs chief Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki addressing a Kashmir Solidarity Conference outside the press club claimed India was “treacherously engaging” Pakistan in a fake dialogue process in order to carry out terrorism on educational institutions. He demanded all kinds of dialogue and trade with India be stopped until it followed UN resolutions to allow Kashmiris their right to self-determination.
Jamaat Ahle Hadith leader Allama Zubair Ahmad Zaheer, Ziaullah Shah Bukhari; JuD leaders Maulana Abdul Hashim, Sheikh Naeem Badshah, Qari Yousuf Ahrar, Hafiz Khalid Waleed, Maulana Idrees Farooqi and other also spoke on the occasion.
Youth Forum for Kashmir Patron Mian Muhammad Soomro, who is also a former prime minister and chairman of the Senate, speaking at a rally demanded true implementation of the first and oldest UN resolution on Kashmir. He said Kashmir was “Pakistan’s jugular vein” and the struggle in support of aggrieved Kashmiris would continue.
He said Kashmiris should be given their due right to self-determination, and condemned atrocities on Kashmiris in the Indian-held territory.
PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique, Pervaiz Malik, Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan also addressed a rally and vowed to support the struggle of Kashmiris and extend the government’s role to resolution of the core issue of South Asia.
PPP Lahore President Samina Khalid Ghurki while speaking at a rally demanded India stop atrocities in Kashmir and give Kashmiris their due rights.
A procession was also taken out outside Badshahi Masjid to express solidarity with Kashmiris. Badshahi Masjid prayer leader Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad led the demonstrators who also included religious scholars from all schools of thought and leaders from Sikh and Christian communities.
Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2016
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