MUZAFFARABAD: Kashmiri activists staged a rally along the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday, calling upon the United Nations to resolve the dec­ades old Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations and will of the Kashmiri people, so that they could lead their lives in peace.

A large number of citizens, particularly students, participated in the rally in Athmuqam, the district headquarters of Neelum Valley, marching through the main bazaar while carrying banners and placards demanding a just and urgent resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Participants chanted powerful slogans condemning India’s continued repression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and voicing strong support for the ongoing struggle for liberation.

Athmuqam, which is overlooked by the Indian military’s artillery positions across the LoC, has previously been targeted in cross-border shelling. This lent additional symbolic importance to the event, which was organised by Pasban-i-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir that represents Kashmiri refugees.

Marchers slam India’s continued repression in disputed region

Last week, it had organised a similarly impactful demonstration in Hattian Bala—the district headquarters of Jhelum Valley.

“The time has come for the UN to fullfil its obligations and bring peace between India and Pakistan by resolving the Kashmir issue. Otherwise, peace in this region will remain nothing but a distant dre­am,” said PHJK chairman Uzair Ghazali, while addressing the rally.

He urged the UN Security Cou­ncil to play its role in implementing the long-standing promise of a plebiscite in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, as envisaged in its resolutions.

He said India should have lear­ned a lesson from Pakistan’s befitting response to its jingoism throu­­gh Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, stressing that neither Pakistan nor the Kashmiris could be silenced with hollow claims or brute force.

“India must now realise that empty threats and coercion cannot intimidate the people of Kashmir and Pakistan, who are firm in their resolve to liberate their homeland from its occupation,” he said. Sev­er­­al other speakers at the rally echoed Mr Ghazali’s sentiments.

Calling for international pressure on India to halt human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and release all political prisoners, they also reaffirmed that the people of the liberated territory remained unwavering in their support for the Pakistan Army, whom they regar­ded as their compassionate defenders.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2025