Kashmiris observe Black Day

Islamabad: Pakistan and Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and across the world observed Black Day Thursday to convey to the world that they reject India’s illegal occupation of their motherland.

The day is marked every year to express support and solidarity with Kashmiri people in their just struggle for right to self-determination and remind the United Nations and the international community of its commitments regarding the resolution of this longstanding dispute.

Protest marches, rallies and seminars were held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and all over the world to condemn the invasion of the territory by Indian Army on 27th October, 1947 as well as revocation of special status of occupied Kashmir by the Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government on August 5, 2019.

Call for the observance of the shutdown and Black Day had been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

APHC in a statement in Srinagar asked the Kashmiris to demonstrate to the world that they would not rest till Jammu and Kashmir was liberated from Indian slavery.

It urged the global community to give up its criminal silence on the Indian brutalities in IIOJK and take practical steps to force New Delhi to give the Kashmiris their right to self-determination as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar urged the international community not to look away but solve the outstanding Kashmir dispute.

Addressing an event in connection with Black Day at the foreign office in Islamabad, she said we must not allow the next generation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir live under subjugation. She reminded that the United Nations had accepted the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people seventy five years back.

The Minister of State said Kashmir runs in our blood and Pakistan will always stand by the Kashmiri people. She said our support and solidarity to Kashmiri people is abiding and we will not rest until we help the Kashmiri people secure their legitimate right to self-determination. She said Pakistan will continue to raise voice for their rights at the international forums.

Hina Rabbani Khar highlighted in detail the Indian atrocities in the Illegally occupied Kashmir saying that there has been at least six hundred and ninety extra judicial killings there since 5th August 2019’s illegal and unilateral steps.

She said India’s settler colonial agenda is evident by the manner in which it is bringing illegal demographic changes in the occupied territory in complete contravention of international laws.