LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has announced staging a “Kashmir Solidarity March” from Governor House to the Punjab Assembly in connection with the “Black Day” to be observed on Thursday (today).

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s allied and other political parties will participate in the march to express solidarity with the Kashmiris in the wake of atrocities being committed against them.

Chaudhry Sarwar was speaking at a hurriedly called press conference at Governor House on Wednesday. He was flanked by PAT secretary general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen’s Nasir Shirazi, PML-Q’s Kamil Ali Agha, PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry and secretary general Shoaib Siddiqui.

The governor said Hurriat leader Yasin Malik’s wife Mishal Malik, leaders and workers of various political parties, lawyers and members of civil society would walk from Governor House to Punjab Assembly.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also appealed to people of Punjab to participate in the rally to observe India’s Independence Day as Black Day.

“The real spirit behind observing Black Day is to provide awareness to the whole world about the oppression and brutality of Indian forces on the innocent Kashmiri people,” he said.

The governor at the news conference stressed that Pakistanis living abroad should organise protests outside Indian embassies. “Why are the USA, its allies and world powers silent over Indian atrocities on Kashmiris? We are talking about peace and not war, but if India attempted to engage in war, we will make a humiliating example out of it. The butcher of Gujarat is now killing Kashmiris but we will expose its real face in front of the world,” the governor said.

Mr Sarwar said Pakistan was implementing its foreign policy successfully to raise awareness about Kashmir issue all over the world. He said the Labour Party [of the UK] and more than 50 parliamentarians of the UK had written letters to the UN highlighting worst atrocities in Kashmir and demanded resolution of the dispute according to its resolutions.

The governor said Narendra Modi, by abrogating article 370, had shattered the UN resolution into pieces. He said India always made fake promises with Kashmiris and there was no doubt that India had never been serious in resolving Kashmir issue. Under the leadership of Imran Khan, he said the Pakistan government was not only condemning Indian atrocities but decided to go to any extent in support of Kashmiris.

PAT secretary general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said his party workers would enthusiastically participate in the Kashmir Solidarity March.

PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said minorities in India, including Muslims, were not safe.

PML-Q’s Kamil Ali Agha said his party workers would wear black armbands and participate in the march.

MWM’s Nasir Shirazi said the slogan “Kashmir will become Pakistan” was not only a slogan of Pakistanis but also a slogan of Kashmiris.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2019