ISLAMABAD: Vociferously condemning the atrocities being committed by the Indian occupation forces in the held Kashmir, the Kashmiri leaders from both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday called upon the international community to redouble its efforts to resolve the lingering dispute that continues to threaten regional and global peace.

Addressing a massive solidarity rally at D-Chowk here, the AJK and APHC leadership expressed their solidarity with Kashmiri people who had been relentlessly reeling under the Indian state terrorism.

Taken out from the National Press Club the rally was led by the AJK President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary. The rally was attended by a large number of Kashmiris settled in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and other areas.

Besides, a sizable number of the participants travelled from different districts of Azad Kashmir to Islamabad to join the rally.

Rally condemns Indian atrocities in IIOJK

In his speech, the AJK president Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary said the leadership of Azad Kashmir unequivocally condemn and reject whatever decisions the Indian government had unilaterally taken on Kashmir since August 5, 2019.

Kashmir, he said, is a disputed territory and no piece of legislation by the Indian parliament can change the region’s disputed status.

In order to bring material change in the region he pointed out that Indian authorities have issued fake domiciles to 4.2 million Hindus so that the proportion of the population could be changed in the region.

Barrister Chaudhary congratulated the people and leaders of all parties for making solidarity rally a success.

He said that today’s rally was organised in the backdrop of decisions taken during All Parties Kashmir Conference. He declared that a similar kind of rally will be held in Muzaffarabad in the third week of March.

In the next phase, he said, public rallies and protest demonstrations against India would be orgainsed in important world capitals including London, New York, Brussels, Paris and other European countries to expose Indian brutalities in the occupied Kashmir.

Highlighting the Base Camp’s role, he said, “Azad Jammu and Kashmir is the base camp of Kashmir’s freedom movement”.

Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Abdul Qayyum Niazi said the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir stood by the valiant people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

He urged the international community to take cognizance of the dire situation in IIOJK.

He stressed that resolution of the lingering dispute is important for regional peace and security.

The racist regime’s Hindutva policy poses a serious threat to the entire South Asian region, he said adding that massive participation of people in the Kashmir rally and presence of the entire leadership across the political spectrum speak volumes about their allegiance and commitment to Kashmir’s just cause.

He said today’s successful rally sends across a strong and clear-cut message to Modi that the government of Pakistan and the AJK were on one page on the issue of Kashmir.

Regarding the unending sufferings of Kashmiri people, the PM said, “I’m the prime minister of Base Camp, I live near the LoC, and my home is just 500 yards away from the Indian post, I can better understand the pain and plight of Kashmiris”.

He said the purpose of today’s Kashmir rally was to draw the attention of the world towards occupied Kashmir, where the Indian occupation forces had broken all records of barbarism and savagery.

Others who attended and addressed the rally included Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Latif Akbar, former prime minister Raja Farooq Haider, APHC leader Mohammad Farooq Rahmani, PPP President Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin, former prime minister Sardar Atiq Khan and PTI president Azad Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2022