MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to a special session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will be the key event to mark “Youm-e-Istehsal-Kashmir” on Wednesday among a slew of activities planned officially as well as unofficially in the territory for the day.

Mr Khan will earlier lead a symbolic walk from the helipad to the nearby Legislative Assembly premises, with AJK President Sardar Masood Khan, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and other dignitaries and civil servants among its participants.

On the assembly premises, PM Khan will also lay the foundation stone of a monument to the martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement.

Before his address to Kashmiri lawmakers, Mr Khan will also hold meetings with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) representatives and heads of different parliamentary parties in the AJK legislature.

Prior to Pakistan PM’s arrival, Mr Haider will lead another rally from Naluchi Bridge to the UN Military Observers Mission near the confluence of Neelum and Jhelum rivers.

The AJK premier’s rally will be greeted by a large gathering of Kashmiri activists, participating in a sit-in along the main thoroughfare just outside the entrance of the UN mission.

Mr Haider will also deliver a memorandum to the UN observers on the occasion.

Additionally, different rallies will be held in the main old city under the aegis of different parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Jamaat-i-Islami.

In their messages on the eve of Youm-i-Istehsal-Kashmir, the AJK president, prime minister and others paid tributes to the unarmed but valiant Kashmiris for their resilience in the face of India’s scorched-earth policy and their resolve to resist Indian colonialism and foreign occupation.

They also assured them that the people of Pakistan, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan stood by them in their heroic struggle to repulse Indian invasion and wrestle down the monster of Hindutva.

“The full-fledged aggression against Kashmiris is driven by the Neo-Fascist Hindutva doctrine and settler colonialism. We see replication of the Nazi policies in the occupied territory,” said Mr Khan in his message.

He said Indian rulers and armed forces, through their warmongering, ceasefire violations, and threats to attack AJK and disintegrate Pakistan, were pushing the region to the brink of war.

“In fact they have declared multiple wars against all their neighbouring and even against their own population,” he said.

He regretted that with the exception of China, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran and West European countries, the response of the most powerful nations had been disappointing and faltering.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2020