HYDERABAD: Political and religious parties, civil society organisations, educational institutions and district and town administrations took out rallies and staged programmes across Sindh to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday.

Carrying banners, placards and Kashmiri flags and adding their voice to the national songs, the participants in the rallies converged on the press clubs and burnt Indian flags and effigies of Narendra Modi to vent anger over months-long inhuman lockdown of eight million people in occupied Kashmir.

In Hyderabad, commissioner and deputy commissioner, AIG and SSP led rallies and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) set up welcome camps for the rallies’ participants.

Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, Jamaat-i-Islami Sindh, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan-Noorani, Mu­t­t­ahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and several trade unions, mohalla committees and non-governmental organisations brought out rallies.

Sindh Agriculture University, Sir Cowa­sjee Jahangir Institute of Psychiatry, Unive­rsity of Sindh and other public and private educational institutions and government dep­a­rtments had also organised functions to express solidarity with people of occupied Kashmir.

Addressing the rallies and functions, leaders said the world must stand by people of Kashmir and urged all Muslim states to play their role in helping Kashmiris secure freedom from Indian yoke.

They said that Indian premier who was an extremist was trying to suppress the voice of Kashmiris but they would fight for their rights till the last drop of blood in their bodies.

Similar programmes were organised in Jamshoro, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and other towns.

LARKANA: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, district scouts, Larkana mayor, additional deputy commissioner and heads of different schools took out rallies in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts to voice solidarity with Kashmiris.

The rallies converged on Larkana Press Club where the leaders said that Kashmiris were facing brutalities at the hands of Indian forces. They urged the United Nations to break its silence and hold a plebiscite in occupied Kashmir.

NAWABSHAH: Activists of Jamaat-i-Islami, PTI, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, district administration officials and students of government and private institutions brought out rallies across the district to observe Kashmir Day with traditional zeal.

The rallies terminated at the press club where the leaders addres­sed the gatherings and said that people of occupied Kashmir had been living in unimaginable conditions under a lockdown since Aug 5, 2019.

They demanded international community should intervene and force India to implement the resolutions passed by the United Nations from time to time to resolve Kashmir issue.

DADU: Rallies were taken out in different towns here and program­mes were arranged in various government offices, schools, colleges and universities on the occasion.

A big rally was taken out in the city from the SSP office Dadu to the press club, attended by officials of different government departments, citizens, schoolchildren, students of colleges, religious and political activists.

Another rally was held by Sindh University Dadu campus from the varsity’s main gate to the press club, besides 10 other big and small rallies were taken out in Dadu city. The Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Sindh University Jamshoro and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro also observed the day.

Rallies were taken out in Jamshoro, Kotri, Sehwan and Bhan Syedabad towns.

SHIKARPUR: Activists of various political, religious, social welfare and city organizations, including the district administration employees and other civilian organisations took out rallies.

The JI, JUI-F, local PPP wing, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Shia Ulema Council, Hindu Panchayat and city organisations also took out rallies.

BADIN: People here took to the streets in a big number to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

Various political, religious and civil organisations staged protest rallies throughout the district towns of Badin, Tando Bago, Talhar, Golarchi, Matli and other small and big towns. The main function was organised at Government Boys High School Badin.

MIRPURKHAS: Dozens of social, religious and political parties, including the MQM-P Mirpu­rkhas chapter, took out rallies here on Wednesday.

Carrying banners and placards, they marched through main roads while raising slogans ‘Kashmir Banega Pakistan’.

MITHI: A large number of people from different walks of life joined protest demonstrations held in all big towns and villages of the desert district on Wednesday. Traders in Mithi, Islamkot, Nagarparkar and other towns closed their business and joined the demonstrations.

Rallies were also taken in Chhachhro, Diplo, Chelhar, Kantio, Kasbo, Kaloi Dahli and other towns of the district.

UMERKOT: A rally was taken out here from the Deputy Commis­sioner Office Umerkot to the local press club. Participants were chanting anti-India slogans. The JI Umerkot chapter also took out a rally, participated by a large number of scholars and seminary students.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Several rallies were taken out in the district to mark Kashmir Day on Wednesday.

Rallies were taken out in Naus­hahro Feroze, Moro, Kandiaro, Mehrabpur, Tharu Shah, Padidan, Darya Khan Mari and other towns.

The main rally was taken out from the DC Complex to the local press club.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020