MUZAFFARABAD: Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), an all-women outfit advocating use of force to overthrow Indian occupation of Kashmir, on Friday celebrated ‘Pakistan Day’ in Srinagar, inviting registration of a police case under the ‘Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The function was led by party’s founding leader Sayeda Asieya Andrabi.

Video clips showed burqa-clad participants, chanting pro-Pakistan slogans and singing the national anthem of Pakistan, in a loud message to New Delhi about the sentiments of Kashmiris.

All of them also wore badges showing Pakistan flags.

Asieya Andrabi booked for making ‘provocative’ speech

Speaking to the participants, Ms Andrabi said every Muslim in the subcontinent was a Pakistani on the basis of Islam, faith, Quran and love for Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

She vowed that the struggle against Indian oppression would continue until Kashmir became a part of Pakistan.

“We have gathered here, despite challenging times, to express our unity with our holy land (Pakistan) and convey to the world that Kashmiri Muslims want to live and die with the Muslims of Pakistan,” she said, as two veiled activists on her left and right side continued to wave flags of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

“Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan and its liberation is incumbent on Pakistan,” read one banner displayed at the stage.

Meanwhile, Indian police registered a case against DeM for “organising a programme where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised”.

“It has come to the notice of the police about certain unlawful acts of DeM outfit through social media videos and other reliable sources where they have indulged in acts inviting penal provisions for offences under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” said a police spokesman in Srinagar.

“They have also raised anti-national slogans and have given hate/provocative speech thereby inviting charges under various sections of penal code,” added the spokesman.

However, an undeterred Andrabi said she would continue to celebrate March 23 as Pakistan Day as long as she was alive.

“As per the rules of 1947 partition we are natural part of Pakistan. The Two-Nation theory has been proved right. See the condition of Muslims of India today. They are being forced to shout Ram Ram and Vande Mataram,” she told Greater Kashmir, the largest English-language newspaper of India-held Kashmir.

Ms Andrabi said that Muslims in India must be repenting today their decision of staying back at the time of partition given their condition at present.

“The March 23, 1940 resolution calling for creation of Pakistan is as relevant today as it was then. Our fate is directly linked with Pakistan not merely because it is a Muslim country,” she said.

Funeral prayers

Meanwhile, hundreds of people including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik offered funeral prayers in absentia for Naeem Butt, a JKLF activist who died from a gunshot wound in AJK on Wednesday. Mr Butt was inj ured after the participants in a rally, which was organised by the JKLF to express solidarity with the victims of Indian shelling, clashed with the police at Sehar Kakuta village in AJK.

Mr Malik appreciated the AJK government’s decision to hold judicial inquiry into the death, and expressed the hope it would conclude in time and “culprits would be brought to justice”.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2018