Kashmir Day: Politicians, students, others form human chains to express support for greater cause

The politicians, civil society, students and people belonging to all walks of life came out in droves on streets in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and participated in rallies and make human chains on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day observed on Wednesday.

The members' parliament joined citizens at the various rallies, public meetings and seminars being held to express support for the people of Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) and their right to self-determination under United Nations resolutions.

February 5 is observed as Kashmir day every year in the country to express solidarity with people of Kashmir. But this year it comes after India stripped the region of its special status and imposed a lockdown. In federal capital, a people took out rallies at different sectors. A big rally was held to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people. It was attended by female MNAs of different political parties and women belonging to different walks of life. Women from different segments of the society also participated in the rally and raised slogans in support of Kashmiri people and against the Indian atrocities.

The special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan addressed the rally. He said that the day is not far when Kashmir will be librated as India's illegal occupation of occupied Kashmir will end soon. Awan said the innocent people of Kashmir were looking towards the people of Pakistan for help with their cause. She demanded that occupied Kashmir's residents be granted their right of self-determination.

Soon after taking out a huge rally to express solidarity with Kashmiris, Awan submitted two resolutions to the United Nations office in Islamabad to draw the body's attention towards the blatant human rights violations in the occupied valley.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message on Kashmir Solidarity Day said that the unprecedented length of restrictions imposed in occupied Kashmir have fully exposed the fiction of India's democracy and its scant regard for basic human norms. Khan said that Kashmir Day is being observed to reaffirm support for Kashmiris who have been subjected to an inhuman lockdown and communications blockade for six months now.

In his message on Kashmir Day, President Dr Arif Alvi said the nation is expressing solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir who have rendered unmatched sacrifices for their legitimate right to self-determination over the course of past seven decades in an indomitable struggle for freedom from oppression. "It has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear, and of sacrifice against tyranny; but through all of it, the Kashmiri people have persisted, unrelenting and proud like they have always been, to deny India the perverse gratification of subjugating them," he said. Alvi said that Pakistan will continue to extend "political, moral and diplomatic support" to Kashmiris until they are given their legitimate right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions.

In his message, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged the international community to do more for the people of occupied Kashmir in this time of trial and tribulation. He said that each additional second on the lockdown clock is a burden on the world's collective conscience. He also called on India to allow a UN fact-finding mission to visit occupied Kashmir and assess the reports of human rights violations in the region.

The government and opposition leaders were unanimous in extending unwavering support to the people of Indian occupied Kashmir, saying when it is the issue of Kashmir; all the political parties are united.

In a tweet, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif said that no amount of brute Indian power has succeeded in silencing brave Kashmiris. "The chapters of exemplary courage they are writing to annals of human history will continue to inspire oppressed people. Pakistan will always stand by its Kashmiri brothers and sisters," he tweeted.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the Kashmir issue can only be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions. "Every city, street and village stands with the people of Kashmir where the lockdown has entered its 185th day. India has always been unable to suppress the Kashmiris' seven decade-long struggle," he added. He said that the idea of marking Kashmir Solidarity Day was first envisioned by Benazir Bhutto, his late mother and former prime minister.

In a tweet, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari noted that "we have to move beyond resolution of this conflict for which [generations] of Kashmiris have paid a heavy toll in lives lost, women abused and left 'half widows', children attacked, youth incarcerated." She said that there cannot be peace in the region without solving the Kashmir issue in accordance with UN resolutions, adding UNSC resolutions of 1951 and 1957 made clear constituent assembly and elections etc were no substitute for UN-supervised plebiscite.

Kashmir Affairs Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said that by revoking the region's autonomy, India undertook illegal and unilateral actions in direct contravention of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Kashmir.

"Eight million people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been turned into prisoners in their own homes under an inhumane lockdown and communication blackout that has persisted for six months," he maintained. "India stands exposed before the comity of nations as an aggressor and an outlier", he added.