KU holds walk to express support for Kashmiris

The University of Karachi (KU) on Friday organised a walk to express solidarity with the people of the Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

KU Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Khalid Mahmoood Iraqi led the walk which started from the Administration Building Lawn and ended at the Azadi Chowk. A large number of students, faculty members and employees participated in the walk and expressed their support for the people of Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination.

Many participants held the flags of the Pakistan and Kashmir, and chanted slogans in support of the oppressed Kashmiris. Prof Iraqi said on the occasion that India had been committing atrocities on the people of IIOJK for the past 75 years which was shameful. He added that the oppressive regime in India could not deprive the Kashmiris of their right to freedom for long.

"There is no such thing as democracy in India, although it claims to be a champion of democracy,” the KU VC remarked. He said India had recently banned a BBC documentary that had exposed the Gujarat riots and the main culprit behind them, Narendra Modi, who was the current prime minister of India.

He added that Modi was responsible for the killings of many innocent people. The KU VC was of the view that the entire global community should be ashamed for remaining silent on the atrocities committed by India in the IIOJK.

"The silence of human rights organisations and international communities over the violation in India is strange and it marks a big question mark on their role and reputation,” Prof Iraqi said. He maintained that the Pakistani government should use all diplomatic platforms and other resources to voice concern for the people of the IIOJK.

The Kashmir issue should not be seen as an issue of the religious community of Muslims, he said, adding that the world should look at it as a humanitarian issue, involving genocide of the indigenous population of the region by the Indian armed forces.

He asked the students to be aware of the history of Kashmir so that they could raise the issue on global forums in an effective manner.