LAHORE: The Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed on Sunday in provincial metropolis by all political parties and civil society, resolving the whole nation stood by innocent and unarmed Kashmiris, who are bearing atrocities at the hands of brutal Indian army.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Azad Kashmir organised a central ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ camp at Charing Cross on The Mall, which was attended by a large number of party workers. They were holding banners and placards and chanting slogans against the Indian premier and army for committing atrocities and killing innocent Kashmiris.

Talking to the media, PTI Professional Forum chairperson Dr Yasmin Rashid said the party had always raised voice for the rights of Kashmiris and demanded they should be given the right of plebiscite.

She said the Indian government’s stubbornness on Kashmir issue was destroying peace in the region. She said the Kashmiris’ sacrifices would not go waste.

She said Pakistan would remain incomplete till the independence of Indian- held Kashmir, demanding the world nations should put pressure on the Indian government to resolve Kashmir issue.

Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly member Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan lamented the Indian army had been forcibly occupying Kashmir for the last seven decades and killing the innocent Kashmiris.

The Jamaat-i-Islami organised a ‘Kashmir March’ on The Mall and its Emir Senator Sirajul Haq addressing the participants said the Kashmiris would soon get independence and Pakistani flag would fly over Srinagar. “The Kashmir Jehad is not a struggle for roti, kapra or makan, neither it is for economic freedom, rather it is an ideological war and nobody can defeat it,” he asserted.

Mr Haq strongly criticised the government’s Kashmir policy and stated that the rulers were “betraying the Kashmiri martyrs for the sake of friendship and trade with India.”

JI Punjab chief Mian Maqsood Ahmed and information secretary Amirul Azeem also spoke on the occasion. Similarly, speaking at a rally held by the PML-N, Railways Minister Saad Rafique asked India to stop atrocities in occupied Kashmir. He said India should focus on hunger its population was faced with instead of talking about stopping Pakistan’s water. He asked the UN to shun its double standards and get implemented its resolution on held-Kashmir.

PML-N Lahore president Pervaiz Malik said without Kashmir Pakistan was incomplete. He pledged Pakistan would continue supporting Kashmiri people.

Awam League central leader Riaz Fatiana, speaking at a seminar at Lahore Press Club, stressed that the whole nation needed to launch a united struggle for the independence of Indian-held Kashmir. He strongly condemned the atrocities being committed against the Kashmiris.

He said the sacrifice of Burhan Wani had pumped fresh blood into Kashmir independence movement. He also regretted that some 6,000 Kashmiris had lost their eyesight due to Indian army’s pallet gun fire.

Meanwhile, speakers at a ‘Kashmir solidarity conference’ organised by the Tehreek Azadi Jammu Kashmir accused the Pakistan government of deviating from Kashmir policy of Quaid-i-Azam. “Trade of potato and onion is not right. Treacherous plot of giving India the Most Favorite Nation status will never become a success story”.

The speakers including traders, lawyers and students demanded the government should end detention of Hafiz Saeed and other leaders.

Jamaat ud Dawa (JuD) central leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki said the detention of Hafiz Saeed had weaken Pakistan’s stance of solidarity with Kashmiris.

PML-N Women Wing, World Aman Council, Majlis Ulema Pakistan and Sunni Tehreek also organised seminars, rallies and meetings to express solidarity with the Kashmiris.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2017