SIALKOT, July 19: The Kashmiri people living in neighbouring Sialkot and Narowal districts observed Youm-i-Ilhaaq-i-Pakistan on Thursday with a renewed pledge to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of Kashmir from India and its affiliation with Pakistan.

They held meetings in Sialkot, Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki-Bajwat, Pasrur, Satrah, Badiana, Chawinda, Shakargarh, Zafarwal, Noorkot, Baddo Malhi and Narowal, where they wore black armbands in protest against the increasing military aggression in occupied Kashmir and large-scale human rights violations by Indian security forces.

They asked the United Nations to help halt human rights violations, custodial killings and genocide of Kashmiris in the occupied territory. They passed resolutions, condemning Indian occupation of Kashmir and supporting its affiliation with Pakistan.

Addressing one of these meetings, Jammu and Kashmir Freedom Movement Chairman Dr Zahid Ghani Dar said Kashmir’s freedom from India and its affiliation with Pakistan was inevitable.

He said the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle had entered a “decisive phase”.