Srinagar : Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed India’s Republic Day, today, as Black Day to convey to the international community that India has occupied Jammu and Kashmir illegally and without any moral justification.
The day was marked with complete strike in occupied Kashmir on the call of joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. All markets and streets gave a deserted look and people preferred to remain indoors. The main function of the Republic Day, which was held at the Bakhshi Stadium in Srinagar, was so lackluster that even no puppet minister came to attend it. The event was presided over by an officer of the status of a Divisional Commissioner.
The puppet authorities had put the entire occupied Kashmir especially Srinagar and Jammu under siege to prevent people from holding anti-India demonstrations. Anti-India protests and rallies were also held in major world capitals and cities on the day.
Meanwhile, the joint resistance leadership in a statement called upon the international community to play its role in granting the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination. It demanded impartial investigation into all massacres, perpetrated by Indian troops in the occupied territory during the past 27 years.
The All Parties Hurriyet Conference in a statement expressed concern over the identification of eight hundred Kanals of land for proposed Pandit colonies in the Kashmir Valley. It said that the people of Kashmir were not opposed to the return of Pandit refugees, but were against settling them in separate townships.
On the other hand, at least 11 Indian soldiers including a junior commissioned officer were killed and several others went missing after avalanches hit an Indian army camp in Gurez area of Bandipora district.
