Altaf Hamid Rao.
The historic day marks renewal of pledge to continue freedom struggle till it reach to its logical end,
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : The 73rd Founding anniversary of Azad Government of the state of Jammu & Kashmir was celebrated on Saturday across Azad Jammu & Kashmir and rest of the world where Kashmiris are inhibiting, with a great enthusiasm and devotion with the renewal of the pledge to continue the struggle for the achievement of the objectives of emergence of the AJK government most particularly the liberation of occupied Jammu & Kashmir from the Indian tyrannical rule and the achievement of Kashmiris legitimate right to self determination.
This year too the anniversary of the emergence of the AJK government was observed when India, through her August 5 last year shameful, forced, sinister unlawful act, scrapped the special status of the internationally-acknowledged disputed Himalayan state of Jammu & Kashmir through abrogating article 370 and 35-A of her own constitution by blatantly defying the United Nations Resolutions on Kashmir which determine the grant of right of self determination to the people of the disputed Jammu & Kashmir state through a free and fair plebiscite granting Kashmiris the above right to decide about their destiny.
October 24 is observed every year to celebrate the founding anniversary of Azad Jammu Kashmir government formed this day 73 years ago in 1947 after the AJK territory was got liberated by the valiant sons of the soil from the clutches of the India-backed despotic Dogra rule.
Pakistan and AJK national flags hoisting ceremonies were held at all district and tehsil headquarters were the hall mark of the founding day of AJK government to celebrate the historic day with traditional zeal and fervor.
National and AJK flags were hoisted atop the official buildings across Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Our special AJK Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports from Mirpur that major ceremony to celebrate the founding anniversary of the AJK government was held at the Prime Minister Secretariat’s lawn in the state’s metropolis Saturday morning where in a simple but impressive manner (held in view of the reported ongoing 2nd wave of Corona virus) attended by AJK President Sardar Masood Khan, AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan elected representatives, social and political workers, notables, government officials and the city elite. AJK President, Prime Minister and other elected representatives while speaking on this occasion, highlighted the significance of this historic day when the representative government of entire state of Jammu and Kashmir was formed on October 24, 1947 under the dynamic leadership of (late) Ch. Ghulam Abbas, the Supreme Head of the first govt of the state comprising the liberated territory.
It may be mentioned here that despite the official announcement about the national flag hoisting ceremonies, the key event of the historic day in the history of the the emergence of Azad government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir at the State Capital and other district and tehsil headquarters, through the official notification No. Services / General – 8 (15) / 2020 dated October 13, 2020, the national flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir were not hoisted in the major official event hosted, to mark the day, at the AJK Prime Minister Secretariat’s lawn in Muzaffarabad held Saturday morning, for the reasons best known to the official organizers of the grand ceremony.
It is, the observers opined, is perhaps for the first time in the history of the AJK government that the flag hoisting event was ignored for the reasons best known to the organizers on this historic occasion of the exceptional significance, a key icon in the history of the Kashmir freedom struggle, underway since over past 73 years.
A full dressed AJK police contingent presented salute in the State’s capital city. The ceremony was largely attended by the people from all sections of the society besides elected representatives including AJK cabinet members and law makers, judges of top and subordinate judiciary, senior officials of the AJK govt. lawyers, journalists and the city elite.
AJK Presidential award was conferred upon various personalities on this occasion in acknowledgement of their meritorious services in Kashmir freedom struggle and the social sectors in Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Similar special ceremonies were also held at all district and tehsil headquarters of Azad Jammu Kashmir to celebrate the day with traditional zeal and fervor.
In Mirpur, two separate flag hoisting ceremonies were held at the local AJK Supreme Court building and at the Municipal Corporation lawn where acting chief Justice of AJK Raja Saeed Akram Khan and AJK Power Development Minister Ch. Rukhsar Ahmed and Deputy Commissioner Mirpur Raja Tahir Mumtaz respectively hoisted the National flags of Pakistan and AJK. These ceremonies were attended among others by officials of the superior and subordinate judiciary, officials of the local district administration including SSP Raja Irfan Saleem, ADC (G) Ch. Haq Nawaz, Assistant Commissioner Munir Ahmed Qureshi, Administrator Municipal Corporation Tahir Mirza, Director General MDA Anwar Ghazi and the city elite.
Earlier the day dawned with special prayers for the integrity, solidarity and prosperity of Pakistan, the ultimate destination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who had linked their destiny with it, the day they initiated their voice against the Indian-backed dogra regime several decades ago, progress and prosperity of AJK and the early success of the Kashmir freedom movement. It was followed by rallies followed by Pakistan and AJK flags hoisting ceremonies in various parts of AJK organized by public and private organizations to commemorate the day.
Special brief meetings including seminars and symposia were held in different parts of AJK including the capital city of Muzaffarabad were to celebrate the founding day of AJK government observed throughout the liberated territory with great enthusiasm and devotion coupled with full solidarity and deep sympathies with their brethren sisters at the other side of the line of control in IIOJK renewing the pledge to achieve the right of self determination at all costs through getting IIOJK territory from Indian forced and illegal occupation.
Through these ceremonies, Kashmiris once again told the world that they will continue their ongoing struggle for freedom till such time that the atrocities being committed on the innocent Kashmiris by the Indian occupation forces are brought to a permanent end. They reiterated that the true spirit of the establishment of Azad Jammu Kashmir will be achieved with a pledge to make the area prosperous but also get their brethren in occupied Jammu Kashmir freedom from tyrannical yoke.
Recalling the history of struggle for freedom in the state of Jammu and Kashmir civil society and others attending these ceremonies, urged the free world to help the people of the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir State to make their struggle for liberation from the Indian clutches complete success and afford them opportunity to decide about their fate in line with the U.N resolutions on Kashmir.
The Jammu & Kashmir people urged the United Nations to fulfill the global promise and implement its resolutions on Kashmir without any further delay paving a way for the solution of the long standing dispute of Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite in line with the UN Security Council resolutions.
