LAHORE: Government departments, educational institutions, various political and religious parties as well as civil society organisations on Wednesday staged public gatherings and took out rallies across Punjab to express solidarity with Kashmiris on Kashmir Solidarity Day observed each year on Feb 5.

A major gathering was organised by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf at Charing Cross on The Mall. Hundreds of people participated in it holding banners, placards, flags of Pakistan and Kashmir and chanted slogans against the Indian government. Several roads were adorned with banners and streamers bearing inscriptions such as “Kashmir Baney Ga Pakistan”, “Hum kya chahtey hain – azadi”.

An especially prepared anthem for Kashmir by the Inter-Services Public Relations, ‘Kashmir hun mein – shehrug Pakistan ki’, was also played at the event. The demonstrators demanded the world respond to the 185-day curfew imposed on held Kashmir and play its role to oust the Indian occupying forces. They demanded the UN get its adopted resolutions implemented.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, PTI central Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, provincial ministers, legislators, leaders, workers and a large number of citizens expressed solidarity with the Kashmiris. Anthems of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were also played. A siren was blared and a minute’s silence observed at Charing Cross.

Addressing the gathering, CM Buzdar said observing Kashmir Solidarity Day would help show India’s true face to the world. He said 185 days had passed to the lockdown by Indian forces and the whole of Pakistan was agitating against this brutality.

Govt depts, political parties, civil society organise rallies supporting Kashmir cause

He said India demeaned its democratic and secular identity by abrogating articles 35A and 370 of its constitution. The Pakistani nation had given a strong message to the world that it firmly stood with the Kashmiris. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had fought the case of Kashmir with absolute courage and Pakistanis could never deviate from the Kashmir cause. “Pakistan will always stand with the Kashmiris and the all-out support will continue,” Mr Buzdar added.

Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said the Kashmir issue could be settled only through the UN resolutions, and rejected US President Donald Trump’s formula on Kashmir as well as the Palestine issue. “Kashmir is Pakistan and Pakistan is Kashmir, the two cannot be separated,” he stressed.

Separately, speaking at a seminar organised by the Nazria-i-Pakistan Trust, the governor said Kashmiris were raising the slogan of “Kashmir Baney Ga Pakistan” even in front of Indian tanks and guns. “The American Senate, Congress, European Parliament and British Parliament are now echoing for the rights of Kashmiris following sincere efforts of Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he claimed.

Mr Ejaz Chaudhry said at The Mall rally that Pakistanis across the country were protesting against Indian atrocities being committed against Kashmiris. He said Kashmiris were fighting tooth and nail for independence from Indian rule. “Pakistan is standing with the Kashmiris and will continue supporting it politically, diplomatically and morally,” he said and shouted, “Kashmir Baney Ga Pakistan”.

Meanwhile, various provincial departments led by their secretaries as well as the additional chief secretary and chief secretary took out rallies.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in her message said Narendra Modi had crossed all limits of cruelty and oppression on innocent Kashmiris and shown his ugly face to the world. She said India had become an example of false democracy and barbarity. “The excellent strategy being adopted by Pakistan Army has saved the region from great calamity,” she said.

PML-N: The PML-N took out a rally from Alhamra to Aiwan-i-Iqbal. Led by Pervaiz Malik, Khwaja Imran Nazir, Chaudhry Shahbaz and others, it was participated by party members.

The demonstrators demanded right to franchise to Kashmiris, pulling out of the occupying forces from the held valley and lifting of curfew. They urged the Muslim world to increase diplomatic pressure as well as boycott Indian goods to force New Delhi to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

The leaders also used the occasion to bash the PTI-led government, saying that due to its “flawed” policies unemployment and inflation graphs were reaching their peaks. They said only Nawaz Sharif with the help of Mahathir Mohammad and Tayyip Erdogan could resolve the Kashmir issue.

PML-Q: The PML-Q also organised a seminar at the Muslim League House to raise awareness about the Kashmir dispute. Kamil Ali Agha, Mian Imran Masood, Mian Muneer and others spoke at the event.

The party passed various resolutions demanding immediate withdrawal of Indian occupying forces from Kashmir, condemning ceasefire violations by New Delhi on the Line of Control, curfew in Kashmir, Indian efforts to block Pakistan’s waters by constructing dams on Chenab and Jhelum rivers, and urged the UN to resolve the decades-long dispute.

The Lahore Centre for Peace Research organised a conference at the Punjab Services Club auditorium. Former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, S.M. Zafar, Mushaal Malick, retired Justice Nasira Javed, former foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmad Khan and others spoke.

It urged the UN’s human rights agencies to remain engaged to monitor the situation in held Kashmir, and demanded UN fulfil its responsibility to prevent the Kashmir issue from erupting into another India-Pakistan conflict.

It asked world powers, including the US, should facilitate a fair and lasting settlement of the Kashmir dispute. India must restore normalcy in held Kashmir by ending rights abuses and its illegal actions changing the nature of the disputed territory through demographic engineering.

JI: Hundreds of thousands participated in rallies across the country under the banner of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). JI Emir Sirajul Haq led the march in Karachi, Secretary General Ameerul Azim headed the rally in Lahore, while deputy chiefs Liaquat Baloch, Asadullah Bhutto, Rashid Naseem addressed marches in other major cities.

Mr Azim said that six months had passed to the curfew and lockdown in held Kashmir with thousands of people starving due to food shortage. Schools, shops and hospitals were closed and the entire valley presented a deserted look, he said, adding the international community was acting as a silent spectator as human rights abuses continued in the valley.

PAT: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek held 75 rallies across the country, pledging support to the Kashmiris in their struggle against Indian oppression. Addressing the Lahore rally, which was taken out on GT Road, Secretary General Khuram Nawaz Gandapur said that Kashmiris were the most repressed nation on Earth. The current curfew had entered its 185th day. Even the indifferent attitude of Islamic countries had failed to shake their resolve for freedom.

JUP: Refusing to accept US mediation on Kashmir, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) said that UN resolutions on the region were the only way forward. Addressing a rally here, JUP President Ijaz Hashmi said that nothing but the UN resolutions were acceptable.

The US offer on Kashmir could not be accepted because it had ditched everyone who tried to depend on it. Only Kashmiris should decide their fate under the UN resolutions.

WAFAQUL MADARAS: Pakistanis not only supported the cause but are ambassadors of Kashmir around the world, said Allama Mehdi Hassan in a rally held to support Kashmiris in their struggle against Indian repression.

Calling Kashmir the jugular vein is not proverbial but a fact, which Pakistanis have been defending with all diplomatic resources despite the fact that the Organisation of Islamic Conference had failed to play any meaningful role. Later, the rally offered prayers for those martyred in the struggle.

PUNJAB ASSEMBLY: Employees of the Punjab Assembly took out a rally from the assembly building to Charing Cross on The Mall.

Led by assembly secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, parliamentary affairs director general Inayatullah Lak, special secretary Amir Habib and others joined the rally.

Speaking to the participants, Mr Bhatti said that no amount of cruelty and oppression could rob the Kashmiris of their right to freedom as their third generation had grown up fighting for the cause. He said over 100,000 Kashmiris had so far laid their lives to break free from the clutches of Indian forces.

PUC: Demonstrations were held all over the country on the call of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and Wafaqul Masajid, Madaris-i-Pakistan to mark Kashmir-Palestine Solidarity Day.

Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, the PUC chairman, and other office-bearers addressed the rallies and protest demonstrations in their respective districts and divisions in support of the Kashmir cause.

LGH: The Lahore General Hospital organised a solidarity walk for Kashmiri brethren.

Postgraduate Medical Institute and Amiruddin Medical Colleges Principal Prof Dr Sardar Mohammad Al-Fareed Zafar, Medical Superintendent Dr Mahmood Salauddin, Director Emergency Dr Rana Muhammad Shafique, professors, doctors, nurses, nursing college principal, representatives of various medical organisations, paramedical staff and a large number of citizens participated in the walk.

Participants in the walk were carrying placards having slogans in favour of Kashmiris and against Indian brutalities, and they also made a human chain to express solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020