LAHORE, Aug 05 (APP):In a remarkable show of partisan support for the hapless Kashmiri brothers and sisters in the Indian Ilegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), political, religious leadership and the masses from all walks of life turned up in large numbers in the provincial metropolis on Wednesday to deplore military siege of Indian Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of ‘Kashmir Siege Day’ (Yaum e Istehsal Kashmir).
The August 5 is being observed across the globe in support of the Muslims of the IIOJK which marks the first anniversary of military siege of Jammu and Kashmir when, on August 5, 2019, Indian government passed a controversial law under which it revoked Articles 370 and 35 (A) besides proposing the bifurcation of the state into two union territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The day is also being observed to denounce heinous Indian designs to change demography of the state of the
IIOJK which tantamount to the demographic apartheid in the region. The ‘Kashmir Siege Day’ is meant to arouse conscience of the world to a situation where eight million Muslims have been put under unlawful curfew in violation of all international laws.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar led a rally from the Governor’s House to Faisal Chowk (Charing Cross) to mark the ‘Kashmir Siege Day’ and expressed solidarity with the oppressed Muslims of the IIOJK. The rally was attended by provincial ministers, including Fayyazul Hassan Chohan and Mian Aslam Iqbal, members of Punjab Assembly (MPAs), Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) leadership, religious leaders, traders, artists, youth, intelligentsia, government servants and people from all walks of life.
Siren sounded before the national anthem was played during the rally while national Kashmiri songs were also played to pay homage to the sacrifices and steadfast movememt for freedom of the Kashmiris in the IIOJK. The participants raised slogans against the Indian government for its illegal occupation of the valley and detested the brutalities being perpetrated against the innocent Kahmiri people. One minute silence was observed during the rally.
Addressing the ‘Kashmir Siege Day’ rally, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had effectively presented the case of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir before the world, adding that Pakistan would continue exposing Indian brutalities and human rights’ violations being committed in the IIOJK before the world.
He said that minorities in Pakistan enjoyed religious freedom and Pakistan opened Kartarpur Corridor for sikh yatrees but on the other hand, Fascist Narendra Modi’s Indian government had been committing cruelties and atrocities against Muslims in India.
The governor said the Indian military siege in the valley was a clear violation of the United Nations (UN) charter and human rights laws.
He said Pakistanis would extend unconditional support to their Kashmiri brethren until they obtained freedom from the Indian government.
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, while addressing the rally, announced to name at least one road in every divisional headquarters in the province after Srinagar in order to show solidarity with the brother and sisters in the
IIOJK.
Buzdar said: “We pay tribute to the struggle and sacrifices of the people of the IIOJK and assure them that the people of Pakistan stand by them.”
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said:” Kashmiris live in our hearts and we could never forget them,” adding that their struggle for freedom would bear fruit. He said Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of the nation, had called Kashmir jugular vein of Paksitan and Pakistan is not complete without Kashmir.
Other political parties ,including the PML-N, the PML-Q and the PPP, also took out rallies in the provincial metropolis to mark the ‘Kashmir Siege Day’ and assure support to the Kahsmiri people for their right to freedom from the Indian subjugation and ‘Ghasbana Qabza’.
The PML-N set up a camp outside the Lahore Press Club (LPC) to mark the day while senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and other addressed the participants. The PML-Q took out a rally which was led by Senator Kamil Ali Agha. PPP Punjab General Secreatry Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed addressed a press conference at its Faisal Town Secretariat and said the PPP was observing the day as Black Day against illegal occupation of the valley by the Indian forces. Jamaat e Islami (JI) and other religious parties also took out rallies to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Lahore chapter organized a special ceremony to observe the Kashmir Siege Day and express solidarity with the oppressed people of the IIOJK. PTI leaders, including Punjab General Secretary Ali Imtiaz, Punjab Vice President Major Sarwar, PTI Punjab Women wing General Secretary Robina Shaheen, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) PTI Lahore wing Mirza Sadiq Jaral, PTI Vice President Lahore Shabbir Sial, PTI General Secretary Lahore Mehr Wajid Azeem attended the ceremony.PTI leadership reiterated the resolve that Pakistan would continue its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiri people for their just right to self determination, adding Prime Minister Imran Khan had proved himself an ambassador of Kashmiri people.
Lahore High Court Bar Association’s (LHCBA) held a demonstration outside the Lahore High Court (GPO Chowk) on
The Mall to mark “Youm-e-Istehsal-Kashmir” LHCBA President Tahir Nasrullah Warriach and others addressed the demonstration. They condemned the military siege of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lahore Arts Council (LAC) arranged a walk in connection with the Kashmir Siege Day to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris of the IIOJK at the Alhamra, The Mall, which wa sled by Information and Culture Secretory Raja Jahangir Anwar, DGPR Aslam Dogar, LAC Executive Director Saman Rai and a large number of artistes, including Naheed Akhtar, Hamid Ali Khan, Taranum Naz, Naseem Vicky.
Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) also held a seminar and a walk to observe ‘Kashmir Military Siege Day’ (Youm-e-Istehsal).
Addressing a seminar at the Lahore Press Club Punjab Information Minister Fayaz ul Hasan Chohan said oppressed people of the IIOJK were facing brutalities of Modi government with courage and determination.
He said Modi’s fascist government could not succeed in demoralising the valiant Kashmiris in their just cause of freedom.
Punjab Minister for Wildlife and Fisheries Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari, while leading a rally to mark Kashmir Siege Day, said atrocities on innocent Kashmiris by Indian forces in the IIOJK could not suppress their struggle for their just cause of freedom. He urged the international community to play its role to end human rights violations in the IIOJK by the Indian forces.
A resolution was also passed by the Punjab Assembly during a special session convened to show solidarity with the Kahsmiri Muslims of the IIOJK and condemn the illegal actions of the Indian government in the valley. The special session was conevened by Speaker Punjab Assmebly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in exercise of the powers vested in him under rule 25(b) of the Rules of Procedures of the Provincial Assmbly of the Punjab 1997. Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assmebly Hamza Shehbaz Sharif also attended the session to mark the day while Leader of the House Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar also attended special session of the assembly.
In a message of thanks, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar thanked the nation, including the Pakistani minorities like the Hindu, Sikh and Christian community for showing solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren and detesting the Indian illegal action in the valley.