India's Independence Day observed as 'Black Day' by Kashmiris

India's 78th Independence Day is being observed as "Black Day" by residents of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir valley, Kashmiris in Pakistan as well as those around the world, condemning New Delhi's illegal occupation of their homeland.

Leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), incarcerated in India's infamous Tihar Jail, have called for Kashmiris to convey a strong message to India, repudiating its illegal occupation and demanding their right to self-determination.

The Kashmiri leaders urged the world's powerful nations to pressurise India to grant Kashmiris their basic right to self-determination.

They reiterated the Kashmiri people's resolve to take ongoing plebiscite demand to its logical conclusion.

"India has no legal or ethical right to celebrate its freedom in the occupied Kashmir. India’s occupation of Kashmir is a clear violation of the UN resolutions and international laws," they said.

On the other hand, Indian authorities have tightened restrictions across the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on eve of India's Independence Day.

Meanwhile, Kashmiri refugees held a demonstration against India at the Azadi Chowk in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Anti-India rallies followed by protest demonstrations in all small and major cities and towns on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), will be the hallmark of the day.

“Participants of the protest rallies will wear black bands around their arms as a sign of hatred against India,” the organisers of the special black day programmes had said earlier.