MUZAFFARABAD: Demonstrations and rallies were held across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday to condemn the fresh spate of brutalities by Indian troops in held Kashmir.

The biggest gathering was held in Muzaffarabad, where political activists, students, traders and members of some militant organisations assembled outside the press club, chanting anti-India and pro-jihad slogans.

Many of them carried placards inscribed with slogans depicting the gory state of affairs in the India-held territory, where occupation forces have shot dead at least 40 people and injured over 1,700 in the wake of protests against the killing of Burhan Wani, a young militant commander.

The protesters appealed to the international community, particularly the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and human rights watchdogs, to immediately intervene and help stop Indian state terrorism in held Kashmir.

Many demonstrators also announced that if the UN and the world community did not fulfil their responsibilities, Kashmiris from this side of the divide would reach out to their struggling brethren by crossing the Line of Control (LoC).

The demonstrators also burnt Indian flags and effigies of the Indian army chief amid anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Speaking on the occasion, leaders and representatives of various political parties and other organisations paid tribute to Kashmiris for putting up a tough resistance to Indian forces in spite of the use of brute force against them.

They said Burhan Wani existed in every household of Kashmir and India could not suppress the popular will of Kashmiri people by letting loose its savage troops. They also assured pro-freedom leaders — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Geelani and others — that the people of AJK were behind them and would not leave them alone in the hour of trial.

Prominent among the speakers were PTI senior vice president Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Muslim Conference leader Murtaza Gillani, Jamaatud Dawa AJK chief Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi, Pasban-i-Hurriyat leader Uzair Ahmed Ghazali and human rights activist Mushtaqul Islam.

Later, the protesters, who were joined by PML-N MLA Barrister Iftikhar Gillani, marched towards the UN Military Observers Office near Domel, where they presented a memorandum urging the UN to implement its responsibilities with regard to Kashmir so as to ensure a durable peace in the South Asian region.

Saleem Shahid adds from Quetta: Thousands of people marched on the main roads and streets of Quetta and other towns of Balochistan on Friday to express their solidarity with Kashmiris and against Indian brutalities in held Kashmir. People participating in the protest and solidarity rallies burnt Indian national flags and effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in several parts of the province, including in front of the Quetta Press Club.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2016