MUZAFFARABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi will address a special session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Tuesday to renew Pakistan’s unequivocal support to the freedom seeking people of India-held Kashmir.

The president’s address will be one of the several events and ceremonies scheduled to mark ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ across the country on Feb 5, Mansoor Qadir Dar, secretary Jammu Kashmir Liberation Cell (JKLC), told a media briefing here on Saturday.

Mr Dar, who has been appointed as the focal person by the AJK government for the Feb 5 activities, said the freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir had attained the same dynamism and strength as was its hallmark in the early ‘90s. He said in spite of the cruelties of the Indian army, there were no signs of abatement of determination of the valiant Kashmiri people.

“This is also evident from the fact that more and more people are joining anti-India struggle day by day.”

He said since the number of the Kashmiri people martyred, injured and blinded for life had been very high, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider had expressed his desire that this year’s ‘Solidarity Day’ should be observed in a more impassioned and effective manner.

“By doing so, we will not only be reaffirming solidarity, brotherhood and amity with our oppressed brethren across the Line of Control (LoC) but will also be sending a loud and clear message to the whole world that tyrant India can no longer keep the Kashmiris separated from each other,” he maintained.

He said on Feb 4, a speech contest on Kashmir, among 10 students drawn from as many AJK districts after local competitions, would be held in Muzaffarabad and the first three position holders would be given Rs80,000, Rs60,000 and Rs40,000 prizes, respectively, by JKLC.

The same evening, a candlelight vigil would also be held at Naluchi Bridge, he added.

On Feb 5, he said, sirens would be sounded across the country at 10am following which a one-minute silence would be observed.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2019