LAHORE: The whole nation is set to observe the Kashmir Hour on today( Friday) to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people and express commitment that the Pakistani nation is standing with them against Indian oppression and curfew.

The Punjab government has also given its Kashmir Solidarity Day plan and Governor Chaudhry Sarwar as well as Chief Minister Usman Buzdar urged the people of Punjab to come out of their homes and offices at 12 noon on Friday (today) and express solidarity with the Kashmiris against Indian torture and aggression besides raising a voice to fight the case of Kashmir at every forum.

The Punjab government has issued a ‘Friday Plan’ as a part of Kashmir Mobilisation Campaign beginning with standing in respect of the National Anthem of Pakistan to be played across the country from 12 noon to 12:03pm. Later, the National Anthem of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be played across Pakistan and can be heard on all TV, FM and other radio channels.

CM, governor to take part in procession at Charing Cross; rallies to be held in all districts

During the national anthems, all humans, traffic and vehicles will remain standstill from 12 noon to 12:05pm.

All the people will be engaged in a grand show from 12noon to 12:30pm. Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and parliamentarians would come out of their secretariats.

The government has even asked everyone, except those in critical condition, in hospitals to come out during ‘Kashmir Hour’.

At Friday prayers, special sermons and prayers for Kashmiri people would be offered and processions would be organised from 2pm to 5pm. The rallies’ participants would hold Pakistan/AJK flags.

Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and CM Buzdar will join a procession at Charing Cross.

In a meeting at Governor’s House jointly chaired by Governor Sarwar and CM Buzdar on Thursday, arrangements for the ‘Kashmir Hour’ were reviewed.

The meeting decided that people would gather at Charing Cross, Regal Chowk and Civil Secretariat Chowk in Lahore while there would also be gatherings at divisional headquarters, districts and tehsils.

The CM has constituted a ‘Punjab Kashmir Committee’ in the wake of the prevailing Kashmir situation and a notification had been issued in this regard.

The committee would be headed by Law Minister Basharat Raja while chief secretary and information secretary had been nominated as its official members.

The information secretary will also act as secretary to the Kashmir Committee.

Other members of the committee include PTI MPAs Nazir Ahmed Chauhan, Uzma Kardar, Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi, Mahindar Pal Singh and PML-Q MPA Sajid Bhatti.

The law minister has also approached the opposition for nomination of their two MPAs. The committee’s maiden meeting has been called for today (Friday). It will monitor human rights violations in the held Kashmir by Indian army and provide necessary assistance to the federal government for projecting the Kashmir issue at different forums.

Meanwhile, the law minister held a meeting and directed the police and security agencies to ensure foolproof security for the participants of the ‘Kashmir Hour’ rallies and gatherings.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2019