MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is set to commemorate on Thursday the 77th anniversary of the establishment of a free government over the 13,297-square-kilometre territory liberated from the oppressive rule of the Dogra regime, following a popular uprising.

The day will begin with a gun salute, and the main event will feature a police parade and a flag-hoisting ceremony at a ground adjacent to the High Court building in Muzaffarabad.

According to a press release, the ceremony will also include national songs, as well as the presentation of awards and medals to distinguished individuals.

In his message on the eve of Foundation Day, Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq paid tribute to the sacrifices of the region’s forefathers. “We owe our freedom to our ancestors, whose unparalleled sacrifices and relentless struggle led to the establishment of the Azad (free) government of Jammu and Kashmir on October 24, 1947,” he said.

Reflecting on the past, the prime minister recalled how the people of Jammu and Kashmir had risen against the Dogra Maharaja’s oppressive rule, discriminatory laws, and exploitation of Muslim population.

He noted that, months before the partition of the subcontinent, the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, then the sole representative political party of the Kashmiri Muslims, had decided to align the future of the state with Pakistan.

Highlighting the deep historical, religious, and cultural ties between Kashmir and Pakistan, Mr Haq stressed that no force could undermine this enduring relationship.

“The unbreakable bond between Kashmir and Pakistan remains a cornerstone of our shared history and future,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024