Solidarity with the people of Kashmir

Pakistani nation and Kashmiris all across the world will join hands to voice for the right of self-determination for the people of held Kashmir and to support their just struggle against atrocities being committed by the Indian occupied forces on February 5. The Pakistan government, as well as several social, political and human rights organisations, have chalked out elaborate programmes to re--pledge their solidarity with the people of Kashmir in a dignified manner on Kashmir Day.
The day will dawn with the offering of Fateha and prayers for the martyrs and liberation of Kashmir. A five-minute silence will be observed all across Pakistan and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to pay homage to Kashmir martyrs at 10 am.
It will be a public holiday and an explicit call to the UN and peace-loving nations to arrange an early impartial plebiscite in Kashmir for an amicable settlement of the dispute. The President, Prime Minister and Minister for Kashmir Affairs will issue special messages on the occasion.
An historic exhibition will be held under the auspices of the Cabinet Division where selected UN resolutions on Kashmir will be displayed in original.
The Parliament's Kashmir Committee will arrange a walk in Islamabad in cooperation with the CDA and Capital Administration which will be led by the Committee Chairman, Hamid Nasir Chattha. Similar walks will be held at the provincial and district headquarters which will be led by governors, chief ministers and district nazims. The deputy chief executive, Northern Areas, will lead a walk in Gilgit and NALC Speaker in Skardu.
The human chains will be formed on bridges that connect Pakistan with Azad Kashmir. Ministers from the Punjab and NWFP will also be present on this auspicious occasion.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council will organise a special convention on Kashmir in the Federal Capital to highlight the Kashmir cause. Special awards will be given on this occasion to those who rendered invaluable services in projecting the Kashmir dispute during the years 2004 and 2005.
AJK President and Prime Minister will visit the Kashmir refugees camps to share their miseries and grief. Food packets and gifts will also be distributed among the refugees.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council and its upper house will hold a joint session in Muzaffarabad to pay tributes to the people of Kashmir.
The Pakistan Foreign Missions will hold special functions to highlight the prevailing situation in occupied Kashmir and screen documentaries portraying the Indian atrocities in the occupied Kashmir area to invite the world attention on continued massive human rights violations by the Indian troops in occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan TV and Radio will air special programmes to highlight the historical events on Kashmir.
Pakistan National Council of Arts will hold an arts bazaar to feature an exhibition of valuable documents and photographs on Kashmir.
Lok Virsa will organise a Special Festival on Kashmir to feature the Kashmiri kiosks, artisans at work, an arts and crafts bazaar, a restaurant offering traditional Kashmiri cuisine and a special performance by renowned Kashmiri folklore music band, Taleh Ruz. It will also arrange a special presentation of poetry of great sufis from Kashmir including of Shah Hamadan and Rishi Nama.
The Kashmir Cultural reflections, Assembly of Kashmiri community, congregation of minorities, NGOs, social sector exhibitions, sale of books, posters and brochures on Kashmir, Photographic exhibitions, display of paintings on Kashmir, Kashmiri folklore troupe, declamation contests on Kashmir will be a few other events which will hallmark total solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
Sensing a strong reaction from the masses against the illegal occupation of Kashmir, the Indian forces have tightened their security in occupied Kashmir to prevent Kashmiris' from going on strike on February 5.
There are reports about the deteriorating situation in the Valley following a series of ambushes between the Indian troops and Mujahideen. Shops, business houses and offices mostly remain closed and the vehicular traffic remain off-road in held Kashmir to protest the untold death and destruction of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian forces.
The Editor-in-Chief of Jammu based "Kashmir Times" in an interview in Washington had admitted that no improvement took place in the tense situation in occupied Kashmir, rather it has deteriorated.
The atrocities by Indian forces continued under the guise of crackdowns and siege-and-search operations. Several Kashmiris were arrested and tortured to death in interrogation cells. A number of cases have come to light where Indian occupation forces opened indiscriminate firing on innocent Kashmiris without provocation.
Talking about the Press freedom, he said, the Kashmiri Journalists have to face numerous difficulties in reporting the correct situation in Valley. They face difficulties from several sides. It is very difficult for a journalist to report incidents impartially.
He said, "as I publish the newspaper from Jammu - a Hindu majority area - I have to face the wrath from Hindu fundamentalists as well. When we speak about atrocities and excesses in occupied Kashmir or publish figures about killings in the disputed state which do not conform with official figures, attempts are made to malign us by saying it is a pro-militant newspaper, although we try our best to present realities in an impartial manner."
A former occupied state President Yuraj Karan Singh, who happened to be the only son of late Maharajah Hari Singh, talking to "Sunday" magazine admitted, "It is true there is a dispute about the future of Kashmir and Pakistan and people of Kashmir are also parties to the dispute." He said, he met the Governor of occupied Kashmir and asked if he could be of any help in restoring normalcy in the state the Governor advised him not to interfere.
In the wake of such an insecure situation, Pakistan have no choice but to call for the world solidarity with the people of Kashmir declaring that it will not go for an option other than the right of self-determination. The solidarity call on the Kashmir issue is a right step towards a right direction. This call reaffirms Pakistan's pledge to the people of Kashmir that it will not leave them alone in their just struggle.
The Pakistan Government has time and again appealed to the UN to fulfil its obligations to avert a nuclear clash in this region. This solidarity call will enable the UN and the world leaders to take notice of the serious human rights violations by the Indian occupation forces.
Lord Eric Aveybury, Chairman, British Parliamentary Human Rights Group, while commenting on the issue had said, the atrocities committed by Indian imperialists in occupied Kashmir surpass the brutalities of the apartheid regime in South Africa or of Nazis 50 years ago. The systematic and deliberate acts against the people of Kashmir which included their inhuman murder, torture, rape, destruction of houses and business, disappearance of hundreds of young people in concentration camps etc, are all part of the vicious Indian plan aimed at breaking the will of the people of Kashmir.
In their recent announcement, Members of the Canadian Parliament, Kerry Johnson and Derrick Lee, have decided to constitute a Committee on Kashmir to project the burning issue on International forums.
President General Pervez Musharraf on several occasions urged the Indian Government to take steps to resolve the Kashmir issue on top priority being the root cause of hostilities between the two countries. The US President and the European nations have also time and again stressed an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue to avert any disastrous conflict between Pakistan and India.
Amer Mousa, Arab League Secretary-General, talking to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz, in Davos recently also urged peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in accord with the UN resolutions.
It is high time that UN and peace-loving nations should come forward to pressurize the Indian Government to stop all kinds of atrocities, loot, plunder, genocide and other acts of suppression against the innocent people of Kashmir and dispatch fact-finding missions to Kashmir for an amicable disposition of the disputed territory with the free will of the people of Kashmir through a fair and impartial plebiscite.