PESHAWAR: Rallies were taken out across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday to express solidarity with Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom from India.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan led a Youm-i-Istehsal Kashmir rally from the Governor’s House to the Civil Officers Mess in the provincial capital.

The participants included ministers, lawmakers, chief secretary, inspector general of police and other senior officials.

Mr Mahmood urged the international community, United Nations and other human rights organisations to taken notice of human rights violation in the India-occupied Kashmir and play their effective role to ensure Kashmiris get the right to self-determination.

He said India had denied Kashmiris the right to self-determination for the last seven decades and began a gruesome chapter of atrocities and tyranny on Aug 5, 2019, by abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted the held Kashmir a special status.

CM urges international community to help Kashmiris get right to self-determination

The chief minister condemned Indian atrocities against Kashmiris and renewed Pakistan’s commitment to offering moral, political, and diplomatic support for Kashmir cause.

“The people of held Kashmir are not alone in this tough time. Every Pakistani stands by them,” he said.

He said Kashmiris had been subjected to complete siege for one year, which showed the aggression and brutality of the Indian government against them.

Rallies and events to mark Youm-i-Istehsal Kashmir were held in other parts of the province as well.

In Upper Kohistan district, the people marched on roads from the district secretariat to the Kamila Bazaar.

Led by deputy commissioner Mohammad Arif, the demonstrators held banners and placards and shouted slogans against the Indian aggression and brutalities in the held Kashmir.

Such rallies were also staged in Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas and Torghar districts.

The administration of Lakki Marwat district organised rallies in Lakki and Naurang towns.

Led by senior officials of the administration, the participants carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans highlighting the atrocities of Indian forces against Kashmiri people in the held Kashmir.

A rally was taken out in Lakki city from TMA offices to Qazi Ishfaq Chowk, while a large number of people marched on the busy Bannu-DI Khan Road in Naurang town to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

The JUI-F also held a rally in Lakki city.

The people also marched on the roads of Mohmand district to condemn the siege of the Indian-held Kashmir and observed one-minute silence in solidarity with Kashmiris.

The administration of Buner district arranged a Youm-i-Istehsal Kashmir walk inDaggar area. Deputy commissioner Mohammad Khalid led it. The participants carried the new map of Pakistan.

The administration of Bajaur district also arranged rallies to protest the siege of held Kashmir by India.

The Youm-i-Istehsal Kashmir rallies were also taken out in Kurram, Charsadda, Lower Dir, Swabi and Nowshera districts, where speakers condemned Indian atrocities against Kashmiris and sought the right to self-determination for the people of held Kashmir.

In Akora Khattak area of Nowshera district, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) organised a public meeting to show solidarity with Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom from India.

JUI-S chief and Pakistan Defence Council chairman Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani demanded of the government to effectively raise voice for Kashmir cause at international forums.

He said the UN policy on Kashmir issue was hypocritical.

Mr Haqqani said the sacrifices of Kashmiris won’t go to waste and would lead to the freedom of the region from Indian occupation.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2020