PESHAWAR: People from different walks of life took out protest rallies across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday to register their resentment against the Modi government’s decision to divest the India-held Kashmir of its special status.

The Indian president, Ram Nath, signed on Monday an order which revoked the special status granted to the held Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

Members of the traders’ organisations led by office-bearers of Tajir Itehad and Tajir Insaf Group, including Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Shahid Khan, marched on different roads in Peshawar and shouted slogans in support of Kashmiris. The traders also set up a camp at Hashtnagri and held a rally against the Indian atrocities in Kashmir.

UN asked to help resolve Kashmir dispute as per people’s aspirations

Another rally was taken out on Saddar Road which culminated at Stadium Chowk with the participants holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, the students and teachers of Khyber Medical University Peshawar expressed solidarity with Kashmiris by forming a human chain and taking out a rally at the main campus, where the participants chanting slogans and carrying placards demanded of the UN and the international community to live up to their promise and resolve the longstanding Kashmir dispute as per the aspirations of the people.

KMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Arshad Javaid, Pro VC Dr Jawad Ahmad and Registrar Dr Mohammad Saleem Gandapur spoke against the Indian brutalities on the people in occupied Kashmir.

The speakers said Indian attempts to change demography and disputed status of held Kashmir by abrogating article 370 and 35A and by allowing non-Kashmiris in the state would not be tolerated.

Similarly, a seminar was also held at Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar, where the speakers strongly condemned the unilateral decision by Indian government and called it a breach of independence plan, accession documents, Indian independence act passed by the British Parliament and Simla Accord.

In separate statements, Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party provincial president Mohammad Humayun Khan also expressed support to the Kashmir cause and condemned the unilateral decision of the Indian government abrogating special status of Kashmir.

Kohat assistant commissioner Furqan Ashraf led a rally from Tehsil Committee Square to Peshawar Square, demanding of the Indian government to resolve the longstanding issue of Kashmir in line with the UN resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiris. They also appealed to the Muslim world to come out with a clear stance against the Indian atrocities.

Likewise, the residents of Hangu also held a protest rally led by the deputy commissioner. Starting from outside the office of Rescue-15 the rally — participated by political leaders, civil society and people from different walks of life — culminated at Railway Square.

Jamaat-i-Islami also arranged a rally in Mansehra to protest the Indian aggression in Kashmir. “We strongly oppose the revoking of Article 370 and want UN to impose embargos on India,” Dr Tariq Sherazi, district head of JI, said while addressing the rally.

To express solidarity with the oppressed people of India-held Kashmir, the district administration, traders, lawyers and students of different educational institutions took out a rally in Karak.

Deputy commissioner Shah Rukh Ali Khan and district police officer Naushair Khan Mohmand led the rally.

Protest rallies were also taken out in Chitral followed by a meeting against the barbarism of India in Kashmir and abolition of its special status.

People from different walks of life, including students, participated in the rallies and the meeting.

On the directives of district scout commissioner Nazir Ahmad Khan, the education department with support of boy scouts association arranged a walk in Lakki Marwat to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

The participants were carrying banners, flaying the atrocities of Indian occupation forces on Kashmiris.

Earlier, speakers at a function condemned the state-sponsored terrorism in India-held Kashmir.

Also, the residents of Mingora held protest demonstrations against Indian government for abolishing the special status of Kashmir. Students and teachers of Government Postgraduate Jahanzeb College, Saidu Sharif, and civil society members, traders and transporters held separate rallies to condemn the Indian government for its aggressive tactics to subjugate peaceful Kashmiris.

Meanwhile, hundreds of tribesmen, including local leadership of mainstream political parties, held rallies in Ghalanai in Mohmand district to protest the brutalities of Indian forces against Kashmiris.

Residents of different areas of Lower Dir held a demonstration to express solidarity with Kashmiris. The protesters were led by deputy commissioner Shaukat Ali Yousafzai and district nazim Mohammad Rasool Khan.

Thousands of people in Bajaur tribal district held rallies to protest the abolishment of Kashmir’s special status.

Protest rallies were also held in Wana, Batkhela and Parachinar.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2019