Rallies staged to mark India’s independence day as black day

Religious and political parties observed India’s Independence Day on August 15 as a black day in Karachi to condemn the BJP government’s move to annex the occupied Kashmir and its atrocities against innocent Kashmiris.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) , Majlis-e- Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) , Sunni Tehreek, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan , Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Jaffria Alliance and other parties organised rallies, hoisted the flags of Kashmir and Pakistan and strongly condemned the Indian atrocities against unarmed Kashmiris.

Some rallies passed through new MA Jinnah Road and ended at the Karachi Press club (KPC) .

JI Karachi emir Hafiz Naim Ur Rehman said it was high time the Pakistan Army entered the Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Addressing a rally on New MA Jinnah Road, he said the Indian atrocities in IOK were at their peak and now the Pakistan government should stop giving statements and take concrete action.

The JI leader said the Kashmiris were waiting for help from Pakistan and we should wage jihad against India.

‘Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan’ was among the slogans chanted at the rally. The protesters, who were escorted by Rangers and police, demanded that Pakistan should approach and send its members to Islamic countries so that they could raise their voice against India .

The participants carried posters and banners inscribed with slogans against India and at several points during the rally set on fire the Indian flag and effigies of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

ST’s protest

Sunni Tehreek secretary general Fahimuddin Sheikh said the nation was united and would never sit idle till the liberation of Kashmir.

Addressing the rally where the protesters were chanting slogans against India, he demanded that India should restore the original status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was still a disputed territory. The nation, Sheikh said, was charged as innocent people in IoK were being targeted and killed by the Indian army.

He demanded from all human right organisations of the world to highlight the tragic fact that human beings were facing hunger due to the curfew in IoK over the past 10 days.

He further demanded that India should lift the curfew and let international media in so that the factual position of IoK could be ascertained.

The ST secretary said the government of Pakistan and the Pakistan Army should take some practical steps to resolve the serious issue, which had hurt the Muslim Ummah, but unfortunately Islamic countries were silent.

MWM rally

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, head of the Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeem, said the black day was being observed to express solidarity with IoK.

He said this while addressing a rally at different parts of the city on Thursday.

The participants had held-Kashmir flags and Pakistan’s flags in their hands.

Addressing the rally, Allama Nasir Abbas Jafri said our enemy had once again attacked Kashmir, the Modi government had started bloodshed of oppressed Kashmiris and their right to self-determination had been denied.

With every passing day, oppression on Kashmiris was increasing, and the Kashmiris had been deprived of basic human rights, he said, adding that India had crushed the UN resolutions under its feet.

He described the silence of human rights defenders as regrettable.

Allama Jafri said that we will be with our oppressed Kashmiri brothers and sisters, and till Kashmir is not free the creation of Pakistan will not be completed.

He asked the Kashmiri mothers and sisters to keep in mind that they were not alone as all the people of Pakistan were with them. “It is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to make an independent foreign policy that matches Pakistan’s national interests.”

He said at the rally that there is a need for a foreign minister who understands Pakistan’s national interests and can work for our national interests.