MIRPUR (AJK), Jul 13 (APP): Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control, besides the rest of the world, observed the 92nd Kashmir Martyrs Day on Thursday with the renewal of the pledge to continue the grand mission of the Kashmiri martyrs through continuing the freedom struggle, with full vigour, for the achievement of the birthright of self-determination.

They paid glorious tributes to the martyrs of Jammu & Kashmir including 22 valiant sons of the soil for laying down the supreme sacrifices.

About 92 years ago on this day (July 13) in 1931 in front of Central Jail Srinagar raised mutiny by laying the foundation stone of the movement for the liberation of the motherland from the despotic Dogra Maharajah’s rule.

Special prayer meetings and symposiums were the hallmark of the Kashmir Martyrs Day across AJK as well as at various places in the strife-torn Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the rest of the world to observe the day.

It was on this day in 1931 when the Dogra troops shot dead 23 Kashmiris in front of the Central Jail Srinagar. A large number of people had gathered outside the jail protesting against the trial of a young man – Abdul Qadeer for treason inside the prison located in the high-security zone.

In AJK, it was a state holiday to facilitate the people to participate in the events of the day from all over the liberated territory.

This year too, the Kashmir Martyrs Day was flanked by a sign of new hope, that if India agrees to the ground realities without any reservations and learns a lesson from the historical facts that she (New Delhi) cannot rule Kashmiris at gunpoint, may help bring lasting peace and prosperity in the region through the early peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue in line with the aspirations of the people of entire internationally-acknowledged Jammu & Kashmir state.

In IIOJK State, a complete shutter down strike was observed against the forced and illegal Indian occupation of bulk part of the Jammu Kashmir State.

People visited the graveyards of the Shuhada in Srinagar and other places and offered Fateha – besides holding special prayer meetings for the upholding of the status of the martyrs in heaven.

Special Kashmir Martyrs Day meetings were held at almost all the district and tehsil headquarters including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bagh, Rawalakot, Sudhanoti, Neelam Valley, Haveili, Hattiyan and Bhimbher and all other small and major towns and cities under the spirit of various social, political and religious Kashmiri outfits besides the civil society belonging to all spheres of life including the business community, lawyers and the media groups in various parts of the state.

Speakers on the sideline of a special prayer meeting to mark the Kashmir Martyrs Day held in Mirpur strongly condemned the continual reign of state terrorism and violence unleashed by the Indian occupational forces in Srinagar and the rest of the bleeding-occupied valley since last six years where hundreds of innocent Kashmiris including the young Commander of Hisb ul Mujahideen Burhan Muzaffar Wani were martyred since July 8 in 2016 for raising voice for the liberation of the motherland from Indian clutches.

Speakers paid glorious tributes shaheed Burhan and other Kashmiri martyrs for laying down the supreme sacrifices of their lives for the noble cause of freedom from the forcible Indian bondages.

Another Kashmir Martyrs Day ceremony was hosted by the management of the local Urdu Daily “Shaheen” to pay rich tributes to the martyrs of Jammu and Kashmir for giving supreme sacrifices of their precious lives.