MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 27: Participants of a rally held here on Friday handed over a memorandum to the UN observers’ mission urging the world body to persuade India to fulfil its commitments regarding holding an impartial plebiscite in Kashmir.

The rally was held to mark as ‘black day’ the 59th anniversary of India’s invasion of the Himalayan region.

Speaking at the rally, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan regretted that the people of Kashmir wanted to join Pakistan, but India sent its troops to Srinagar claiming that Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh had signed a document to annex the Himalayan region with it.

“Whatever claims India may make about its democratic system and egalitarianism, no one will believe it because of its disregard to its pledges before the international community regarding Kashmir,” he said.

However, he said that over the past 59 years, more than 800,000 Indian troops could not quell the struggle of Kashmiris for emancipation. He said the struggle would continue till Kashmiris were given the right to self-determination.

The AJK premier asked authorities to ensure verses of AJK’s national anthem calling upon the people to rise against the tyranny were replaced with some suitable words. “The people of the valley have long risen and are offering unprecedented sacrifices. There is no justification to air these verses from our radio stations,” he said.

He also directed authorities to ensure that TV and radio stations operating from the AJK aired special programmes on national days and events.

He thanked the Pakistan government and the armed forces for supporting Kashmiris over the past six decades.

Minister for Forests Ghulam Murtaza Gillani and Khwaja Javed Iqbal of the Jamaat-i-Islami were among other speakers.