QUETTA: High-ranking government officials, ministers, political workers, tribal leaders and people belonging to different walks of life formed a human chain on Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday to express solidarity with the people of held Kashmir and their support for the freedom movement in the Valley.

Those who formed the human chain included Balochistan Governor retired Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and Minister for Secondary and Higher Education Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind.

This year the day was observed following the Indian government’s decision to revoke the autonomous status of held Kashmir and its bifurcation into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in August 2019.

Marches, seminars and other programmes were also organised across the province on Kashmir Solidarity Day.

“According to the United Nations resolutions, Kashmiris have the right to self-determination. The people of Balochistan stand with them in their struggle for freedom,” said Mr Yasinzai at a march held in Quetta to mark the day.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Alyani said, “The Kashmiris, Muslim Ummah, Pakistan and the international community, all have rejected India’s travesty of law and justice.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs Danesh Kumar also participated in the march where he said that the international community needed to do more for the Kashmiris at this particular moment of their trial and tribulation. “Every single second that passes is a burden on the world’s collective conscience regarding the current situation in the Valley,” he said.

Other speakers also spoke at the march paying rich tributes to the valiant Kashmiris and their struggle to attain their right to self-determination.

Kashmir Solidarity Day programmes were also held in Gwa­dar, Kalat, Mastung, Loralai, Zhob, Uthal, Hub, Turbat, Pishin, Chaman, Nasirabad, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Sibi, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Awaran, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kachhi, Musakhel and other towns and cities of the province.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020