Rallies voice support to Kashmiris

LAHORE: Several rallies were held by different parties and groups to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day on Tuesday.

The participants in the rallies held by Jamaat-e-Islam, Tehreek Azadi Jammu Kashmir (TAJK) and other groups urged the world community to force India to end state terrorism against unarmed civilians in Indian-Held Kashmir and allow the Muslim majority state to exercise right to self-determination guaranteed by the UN resolutions of 1948.

They raised slogans and displayed banners to express complete solidarity with Kashmiris’ freedom struggle against Indian occupation. The Jamaat-e-Islami rally, held on The Mall, was led by JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch, Central Punjab Ameer Amirul Azim, Lahore Ameer Zikrullah Mujahid and others. Addressing the crowd of workers, women and children, Liaqat Balcoh said the UN had badly failed in making India implement its resolutions on Kashmir calling for ensuring the right to self-determination to the people of the state. He demanded the PTI government give a road map of Muslim majority Kashmir’s freedom from Indian occupation.

He warned that withdrawal of 800,000 Indian troops from Kashmir was imperative for ensuring peace in the region. He lamented that the elements which had been calling for friendship and trade with India had badly failed in making Delhi join dialogue process and make it fruitful.

Amirul Azim demanded the leaders of All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Srinagar, the US, UK and Muzaffarabad to establish a Kashmiri government in exile led by veteran Kashmiri freedom leader Syed Ali Gilani which should be acknowledged by Pakistan. He said Kashmir desk should be set up in all embassies of Pakistan. He lamented that none of the Pakistani governments had advocated Kashmiris’ case amply before the world community which resulted in rotting this vital issue for the last 72 years and caused India and Pakistan to fight four wars.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F leader Moulana Amjad Khan criticised the human rights organisations for their silence on Indian state terrorism in Jammu Kashmir. He said India would have no option but to leave Kashmir. “We don’t want war. If India imposed war on Pakistan, the entire Pakistani nation would stand by its brave armed forces.”

PPP: A large number of PPP workers on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir struggling against Indian occupation of the valley.

At the camp set up at Chairing Cross the PPP workers criticised Imran government for lacking strategy over Kashmir and slamming it for its inability to address the core issue. The PPP Punjab leaders including; General Secretary Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, President Haji Azizur-Rehman Chan, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Chaudhry Aslam Gill and others addressed.

Chaudhry Manzoor said the government lacked vision and capability to steer the country out of crisis. He demanded that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari must be made the Chairman of the Kashmir Committee as only he had the capability to plead the case of Kashmir at global level.

The PPP leaders also said the rulers had caused a huge loss to the country economy and it wanted to snub the powers of the federating units given to them through 18th Amendment. Meanwhile, former PPP MPA Dr Zia-Ullah Khan Bangash in a statement criticised India for perpetrating atrocities in the held Kashmir. He said the need of the hour was to plead the case at international level like Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did.