Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): Amidst full-throat slogans of ‘’Pakistan Say Rishta Kiyaa – La e La Ha Illal La,, and Kashmir Baney Ga Pakistan” people across AJK observed Kashmir Solidarity Day on Monday with unprecedented zeal and fervor to express solidarity with Kashmiri brethren fighting against the tyranny of occupational forces in the Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
The Day was marked with capacious programs including day-long rallies and demonstrations and forming of human chains at all entry and exit points of the AJK. The participants of the solidarity rallies held all across the liberated territory of Azad Kashmir renewed their pledge to continue their all out support to Kashmiris’ just cause besides standing shoulder to shoulder with Kashmiri brethren in IoK in their just and principled struggle for the achievement of legitimate right to self determination.
Pertinently since the initiation of ongoing resistance movent against India by the people of Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir Pakistani nation has been observing the K-day at national level with a view to express solidarity with the struggling masses of the IoK besides seeking sensitizing the international community about the early and amicable solution of the long-standing unresolved Kashmir dispute that happens to be the core issue between India and Pakistan.
One-minute silence:
As a mark of respect to the valiant struggle of Kashmiris in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, one-minute silence was observed at 9.58 a.m. to pay respects and homage to the martyrs of Kashmir, as all rail and road traffic came to a standstill.
Human Chains
Human chains were formed on all seven bridges, including at Mangla, Kohala, Dhalkot, Azad Pattan, Bhimbher, Holar and Bararkot, which connect AJK with Pakistan. Thousands of people belonging to AJK and Pakistan gathered at these bridges and formed human Chains as a symbol marking unbreakable bond between the peoples’ of the two regions.
In Mirpur district, a large number of people from adjoining Punjab province reached at Mangla bridge, the gateway to this part of Jammu & Kashmir State, and made human chain to express solidarity with the people of AJK who had also gathered at the bridge to make human chain joining hands with the people of Pakistan to mark the day.
Thousands of people belonging to all walks of life from Mirpur division earlier drove to Mangla Bridge in a big procession led by PML (N) AJK leaders including Ch Ijaz Raza. While addressing the rally speakers including PML (N) leader Ejaz Raza Ch, Divisional Commissioner Sardar Zaffar Mahmood Khan, Vice Chairman NEOC Raja Farooq Akram, Raja Zaffar Maharoof, students of Govt. Pilot School and others called upon the world community to ensure early peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Resolutions and Kashmiri people’s wishes. Speakers said that Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom is in fact the struggle for completion of Pakistan – since Pakistan is incomplete without its jugular vein – Kashmir, they declared.
Chief Guest of the ceremony Divisional Commissioner Mirpur Muhammad Tayyeb and others said that the hearts of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir throb in unison. Pakistan, he declared, would continue full moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu & Kashmir in their just and principled struggle for freedom till it reach to its logical end.
Speakers paid glowing tributes to the valiant struggling of Kashmiri people. They said the sacrifices being offered by the valiant Kashmiri people would not go waste as the time was not far off when their struggle would be crowned with success very soon.
Speakers called upon the United Nations besides the international powers including the United States of America to exert pressure on India to give a matching response to Pakistan’s persistent offer for early peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue through resumption of composite dialogue process in line with the aspirations of Jammu Kashmir people without further loss of time. Speakers demanded that India should immediately stop human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and must give the right of freedom to the people of Kashmir according to the UN charter.
A 25-member group of motorcyclists from Multan also reached Mangla Bridge to join the mega Kashmir Solidarity Day program to express solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir on behalf of the people of Pakistan. The leaders of the motorcycle rally presented shields of honour to Div Commissioner Muhammad Tayyeb and DIG Mirpur Range Sardar Rashed Naeem as a symbol of solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the people of Pakistan
Meanwhile, a rally organized by the Azad Jammu Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami was held here at Shaheed Chowk on Monday which started from Allama Iqbal Road and culminated at Mangla bridge where they formed the human chain to express solidarity to the people of occupied Kashmir. The participants of the rally demanded of the global forces to pressurize India to give the right of freedom according to the UN charter to the people of Kashmir.
Through a unanimously passed resolution the congregation called for early peaceful settlement of Kashmir problem through the resumption of proposed comprehensive bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan without further delay to avert the threat of any conflict between the two nuclear neighboring arch rivals. Through other resolutions the rally expressed full solidarity with the people, government and the valiant armed forces of Pakistan with resolve to go shoulder-to-shoulder the people, government and the brave armed forces of Pakistan to safeguard the ideological and geographical frontiers of Pakistan by making defense of inch after inch of the country.
Kashmir Solidarity Day was also observed in Kotli and Bhimbher districts in this division with traditional zeal and fervor. All the three radio stations of Azad Kashmir including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and Tarakheil and AJK TV aired special programmes and the AJK Press brought out special supplements to highlight the struggle of Kashmiris besides to express their solidarity with Kashmir freedom movement.