Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : Like across Pakistan, ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ was observed amidst full throat slogans of “Kashmir Baney Ga Pakistan” by the people across AJK on Wednesday with unprecedented enthusiasm and fervor to express fullest solidarity with Kashmiri brethren fighting against the tyranny of occupational forces in the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIoJK).
The day was primarily marked with capacious programs including day-long rallies and demonstrations through making human chains joining hands with Pakistani brethren gathered at all the entry points of AJK.
Our Special Jammu Kashmir state Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports that by observing the day, people renewed their resolve to continue extending the fullest moral, political and diplomatic support, shoulder to shoulder Pakistan to freedom-loving brethren in the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir in their just and principled struggle for the achievement of Kashmiris’ legitimate right to self-determination and liberation of the motherland from the Indian clutches.
As a public holiday, people representing various walks of life including political, social and human rights organization took out rallies in all big and small cities across AJK including the capital city of Muzaffarabad and at the district and tehsil headquarters of all ten AJK districts including Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimbher, Rawalakot, Bagh, Palandri, Haveili, Hattiyan and Neelam Valley held seminars and vowed to be with their oppressed brethren in their hour of trial.
The Day was observed with renewed pledges and commitments to continue diplomatic, moral and political support to Jammu Kashmir people in their just and principled struggle for the achievement of the right to self-determination and the cause of Kashmir.
Observance of this day was also aimed at highlighting the long-standing unsettled dispute of Jammu & Kashmir at International and apprising the people of Jammu & Kashmir that they are not alone in this hour of trial and turmoil as people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir are wholehearted with them.
One-minute silence: As a mark of respect to the valiant struggle of Kashmiris in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, a one-minute silence was observed at 10.00 a.m. to pay respects and homage to the martyrs of Kashmir, as all rail and road traffic came to a standstill.
Human Chain: Human chain was formed on all seven bridges, including at Mangla, Kohala, Dhalkot, Azad Pattan, Bhimbher and Holar besides at Bararkot the entry and ex points that connect AJK with Pakistan. Thousands of people belonging to AJK and Pakistan areas and gathered at these bridges and formed a huma chain in to reiterate complete solidarity between them.
The human hands chain formed both by Pakistani and Kashmiri people was aimed at to reiterate the unity and fraternity of this fact that both people have bonds of love and affection towards each other.
Flowing of rivers towards Pakistan and ways linked with land transpire the natural accession with the country, a center of Kashmiri people’s hopes and expectations.
This year too, the Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed in scenario of severe hatred against India that was followed by August 05, 2019 sinister action of abrogating special status of the internationally-acknowledged disputed Indian occupied Jammu Kashmir State by the hardliner Modi-led extremist Indian government through abrogation of the article 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution. The bleeding occupied valley has been turned into the world’s largest prison following imprisonment of the people protesting against the nefarious Indian action under the shadow of the occupational Indian guns.
The mass Kashmir Solidarity rallies reiterated Kashmiris earnest demand to the United Nations to take immediate action against India for blatantly violating UN resolutions on Kashmir through the August 05, 2019 sinister action defying all international moral and legal norms and commitments about the global unresolved Kashmir issue.
In Mirpur district, a large number of people from adjoining Punjab province led by Meher Fiyaaz, ex Member Punjab Assembly, Nadeem Khadim former MPA from Jhelum, Assistant Commissioner Dina Mrs. Sadia Dogger, ADC (G) Jhelum Sabba Seher, reached at Mangla bridge, the gateway to this part of Jammu & Kashmir State, and mada e 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 through big processions, led by District Council Chairman Raja Naveed Akhter, City Mayor Usman Ali, Commissioner Mirpur Division Ch. Mukhtar Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Ch. Yasir Riaz, Additional Commissioner Ch. Haq Nawaz, , SSP Mirpur Khawar Ali Shaukat، ADC ( G) Raja Ummar Tariq, Assistant Commissioner Zahid Hussain, Duty Magistrate Ch. Imran Yousaf, PML N Women wing chief Mrs. Memoona Shah, Director Kashmir Liberation Cell Mirpur Sardar Azeem , Divisional Chief PID AJK Javed Malik, AJK Muslim Conference leaders Raja Zaffar Maharoof and Shakoor Mughal, ex President Mirpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry Sohail Shujah, President Insaaf Traders Wing Mirpur Raja Khalid Mahmood Khan, Municipal Magistrate Zahid Majeed Sheikh, Kashmir Press Club President Syed Abid Hussain Shah, ex Presidents of the press club Altaf Hamid Rao and Sajaad Jiraal, District Health officer Dr. Fida Hussain and other heads of various private and public representative organizations and the civil society.
A big congregation of masses from adjoining town Dina of Jhelum district led by above mentioned leaders local leaders representing various walks of life reached Mangla bridge and joined human chain with AJK people to mark solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir State.
Mass Solidarity Day rally leaders from Jhelum and Dina presented national flag of Pakistan to the AJK leaders, who also presented AJK flag to elected representatives from Jhelum and Dina besides besides the senior officials of the Jhelum district administration as a sign of love and affection with Pakistan through brethren coming from Jhelum to express fullest Solidarity with the Kashmiris as a mark of reiteration of solidarity between people of Pakistan and Kashmir.
A large number of people belonging to various walks of life including the elders of various segments of the civil society from adjoining Jhelum district reached Mangla bridge, gateway to this part of the Himalayan Jammu Kashmir State, to join the human chain with locals to mark the solidarity on behalf of the people and government of Paksitan with the people of Jammu Kasyhmir.
While addressing the mass public rally on this occasion hosted by the local authorities and civil society at Mangla bridge to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day key speaker 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 including Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhry Mukhtar Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Yasir Riaz Chaudhry, Meher Fiyaaz, ex Member Punjab Assembly, Nadeem Khadim former MPA from Jhelum, Assistant Commissioner Dina Mrs. Sadia Dogger, ADC (G) Jhelum Sabba Seher and others 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.
They said that the hearts of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir beat 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 reaches to its logical end.
Speakers paid glowing tributes to the valiant struggling people for facing large-scale Indian atrocities in the Indian Illegally occupied territory. 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 an early peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue through the resumption of result oriented dialogue process primarily in line with the aspirations of Jammu Kashmir people, major party to Kashmir conflict, 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 and self determination to the people of Kashmir according to the UN charter.
A rally organized by the Azad Jammu Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami was held here at Shaheed Chowk on Wednesday which started from Allama Iqbal Road and culminated at Mangla bridge where they joined 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 various unanimously passed resolutions the mammoth Congregations 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 another resolution the rally expressed full solidarity with the people, government and valiant armed forces of Pakistan with a resolve to go shoulder-to-shoulder the people, government and brave armed forces of Pakistan to safeguard the ideological and geographical frontiers of Pakistan by making defense of inch after inch of the country.
In Kotli and Bhimbher districts of Mirpur division, Kashmir Solidarity Day was also observed in Kotli and Bhimbher districts in this division with traditional zeal and fervor. The grand public rallies was taken out in both of the districts to mark the day. Addressing rallies on this occasion, speakers said that Kashmir is the lifeline of Pakistan and Pakistani people fully share the joys and sorrows of their Kashmiri brethren of the Indian-held State.
The national and AJK State Print media brought out special supplements to highlight the struggle of Kashmiris besides to express their solidarity with Kashmir freedom movement.