KARACHI: The Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed across the city on Friday with traditional zeal as political parties, civil society, government and rights bodies organised rallies and seminars and vowed to continue extending their moral and legal support to the people of the India-held oppressed region.

People from different walks of life as well as government officials and political parties arranged separate events to express their solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

Sindh govt holds rally

The Sindh government organised a rally from Kashmir Road to Mazar-i-Quaid to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, provincial secretaries and senior police officers attended the event.

Addressing the rally, CM Shah said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unleashed a wave of terror against the Muslims of India and had launched a genocide in occupied Kashmir.

“Your hands are stained with the blood of innocent Kashmiris and that day is not far when you will have to face cases of war crimes in the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” he said.

Murad says Modi will be brought before ICJ for war crimes soon

During the rally, songs of solidarity with the people of Kashmir were played and a special band performed.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also attended a seminar in connection with Kashmir Day and during his address said that voice being raised for the people of the Indian-occupied territory under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan had never been done in such a way before.

JI rally

Hundreds of people attended a rally organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami from Jail Chowrangi to Mazar-i-Quaid to express solidarity with the people of India-held Kashmir.

Speaking to the participants of the rally, JI naib emir Liaquat Baloch said that the Kashmir Day every year sent a message to the global community that in order to avoid a nuclear war in the region and for peace, they would have to force the Indian government to provide due right to live and right to self-determination to the people of Kashmir.

“People are demanding the United Nations ensure plebiscite under its own resolutions for the oppressed people of India-held Kashmir,” he said.

He said this day depicted the resolve of the Pakistani people that they stood united in solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren against brutalities on the part of the Indian security forces.

“The JI has been observing Kashmir Solidarity Day since 1990. The idea to observe the day on every February 5 was introduced by then JI emir late Qazi Hussain Ahmed,” he said.

PTI rally

Hundreds of workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf held a rally from Nursery, Sharea Faisal to Mazar-i-Quaid where members of the opposition party in the province vowed to stay united despite all political differences for the national cause of Kashmir.

“Kashmir is the integral part of Pakistan,” said Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh. “The people of Kashmir have been subjected to oppression for decades. India’s brutal attempt to turn Kashmiris into a minority and its atrocities on the Kashmiri people has exposed its ugly face. India cannot change public opinion by its own law.”

He said that India was playing dangerous games but it was its misconception that this issue would be suppressed. The Kashmir dispute, he said, had to be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions.

MQM-P event

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan also organised a programme near its temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad to mark Kashmir Day.

Speaking on the occasion, party convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that Karachi with its over 30 million population stood with the people of Kashmir in their just struggle against Indian oppression.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should give the nation a roadmap with regard to Kashmir.

He said that the nation must pledge today that it would not let the sacrifices rendered by Kashmiri youths go in vain.

PSP

The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) also organised an event at its Pakistan House headquarters to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

Party leaders, workers and members of civil society also attended the event.

TLP rally

The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) took out a rally from Hasan Square to Mazar-i-Quaid on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Hundreds of TLP workers and supporters took part in the rally on bikes, cars, vans and trucks.

MWM

The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) organised a multiparty conference (MPC) on Thursday which demanded that the Kashmir issue be taken up in the ICJ.

The event was held at the Karachi Press Club. Speaking on the occasion, MWM leader Allama Baqir Abbas Zaidi and Ali Hussain Naqvi said that Pakistan needed to play an active role on diplomatic and other fronts to support Kashmiris. “We have to strengthen those living inside Kashmir. Even today Kashmiris bury their martyrs under the Pakistani flag, meaning they call themselves Pakistani because they are Pakistanis despite being under Indian domination.”

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2021