Black Day observed in AJK on Indian Republic Day

MUZAFFARABAD: Rallies and protest processions were held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Saturday to observe Indian Republic Day as a Black Day on the appeal of the State government and All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) recalling United Nations and other international forums to ensure the right to self determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the resolutions of United Nations India Pakistan Commission (UNICP).

In capital Munzaffarabad, a protest procession followed by a rally was organized by Pasban-i- Hurriyat, an Occupied Kashmir refugee organization, at Azadi Chouk in the middle of the city with black flags and posters.

The protesters chanted anti Indian and pro-freedom slogans and marched towards UN Observers Mission office demanding for take a cognizance of Indian atrocities in the Held Kashmir.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the organization Uzair Ahmad Ghazali said that India was trying to sabotage the basic rights of the people in Kashmir through draconian laws but was miserably failed to suppress the peaceful movement for liberation.

"The country claiming itself as the largest democracy of the world, is indeed a tyrant in nature committing most worse type of atrocities on the people to suppress the just cause even the women and children are not being spared by the occupant forces which is a question mark on its claim," Ghazali added.

He said all the pro-freedom political leadership was in prison for raising voice against human rights abuses, dozens of youth had been killed, many including women and children were injured and blinded and still the country celebrates its republican day which he said, was shameful.

He said by observing the black day on this day around the world, the people of Jammu and Kashmir gave the message to the world that Jammu and Kashmir was not a integral part of India but was a disputed territory whose future has still to be decided by the people through right to self determination and India was not a true democracy which usurps democratic rights of the people in Kashmir.

Another leader of the Organization Abdul Aziz Alvi while addressing the protesters, said India was falsely demonstrating itself as democratic country in the world but in reality, the minorities living in India had been deprived of their basic rights and their rights are being abused every single day on mass scale.

Mushtaqul Islam, Shazia Kiani advocate and other leaders also spoke on the occasion and demanded the international community to take a cognizance of the deteriorated situation of the Held Kashmir and send a fact finding commission to assess the human rights abuses as per the recommendations of UN Human Rights Commission.

AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan also addressed an official function organized by Kashmir Liberation Cell at the Central Press Club to observe Indian Republic Day as Black Day and repeated the demand to UN for sending a commission in Indian Occupied Kashmir to assess the human rights situation.

Haider said India was targeting civilian population on Line of Control (LOC) in AJK to divert the attention from the atrocities being committed by its forces in Held Valley and terrorize the people but morale of the people in AJK was as high as always to defend our soil by backing the Pakistan Army at LOC.

He reiterated his commitment to continue support of the struggling people in Jammu and Kashmir for just right to self determination at all political, democratic and diplomatic fronts and emphasized all walks of life to highlight Indian atrocities through conventional and social media to catch the attention of world community towards.

The AJK Premier demanded the federal government to directly raise the Kashmir issue in United Nations Security Council and send a parliamentary delegation comprising all political parties to forcefully present its opinion at the forum.

He emphasized restructuring of a national policy on Kashmir with the consultation of all political parties and said unanimity was need of the day to confront the enemy at international fronts and to revive national economy as only economically strong Pakistan could face India.

He warned that if India commits any aggression against Pakistan, the people of Azad Kashmir will fight shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces to safeguard the territory and even fight against the enemy inside the Occupied Kashmir.