Indian I-Day observed as black day in Punjab

MULTAN: Rallies were held and protests were staged in the district to mark the Indian Independence Day as a black day to express solidarity with Kashmiris of the Indian Held Kashmir.

Black flags were hoisted at public, private and commercial buildings and shopping malls to protest against revoking the special status of Indian Occupied Kashmir by India. People from different walks of life, including academicians, students, traders and politicians, took out rallies against India.

Participants in the rallies expressed that regional peace was at stake due to India and the BJP was determined to eliminate Indian Muslims by promoting Hindu fundamentalism. They demanded the world leaders include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the global terrorists list and freeze their bank accounts in India and abroad.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Chief Whip Malik Amir Dogar organised a big rally from Dogar House up to Chowk Nawan Sheher. Hundreds of bike riders and car riders participated in the rally and chanted slogans against Indian for killing innocent Kashmiris and revoking the special status of Kashmir.

Speaking on the occasion, Malik Amir Dogar said that India was killing Kashmiris and RSS activists were dancing on their bodies. He said that Pakistan had already rejected the unilateral decision of India because it was the violations of international agreements and Shimla pact. He said that Modi’s BJP and RSS had defaced secular posture of India. Residents of Qasim Bela also took out a rally, which was led by Arshad Khan and Riaz Khar.

FAISALABAD: On the directions of the Punjab government, a black day was observed against India in the district. Protest rallies and other events were organised to express solidarity with Kashmiris and to condemn the Indian atrocities in Indian Held Kashmir. The black flags were hoisted on the public and private buildings and banners were displayed on roads, intersections, markets and other public places.

The main protest rally was organised by the divisional administration from District Council Chowk up to Halal-e-Ahmar Chowk. Commissioner Mehmood Javed Bhatti, RPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, Deputy Commissioner Tariq Khan Niazi, MPAs Latif Nazar, Shakeel Shahid and Firdous Rai, DG FDA Amir Aziz, DG PHA Asif Chaudhry, CEO Education Ali Ahmad Siyan, CEO Health Dr Mushtaq Sipra, Director Labour Munawar Awan, ADC(HQ) Qaisar Abbas Rind, ACG Musawar Niazi, SSP Operations Syed Ali Raza, Director Colleges Dr M Alam, DD Colleges Imdadullah, FCCI representative Ch M Nawaz, Chairman Council of Powerloom Owners Association Waheed Khaliq Ramay and a large number of general public participated in the protest rally. The participants were carrying banners, placards and black flags inscribed with slogans against India. Expressing his views, the commissioner said that the Pakistanis could not be remained silence on the brutalities of Indian forces on innocent Kashmiris. RPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar said that the blood of innocent Kashmiri people being shed in their struggle and fight since years would definitely attain the desired objective of achieving independence from Indian Occupied Kashmir. He saluted the sacrifices of Kashmiris. DC Tariq Niazi said that India could not suppress the independence movement through committing brutalities on Kashmiris. MPAs Latif Nazar, Shakeel Shahid and Firdous Rai said that the entire nation was observing the black day against the Indian forces’ atrocities in the Indian Held Kashmir.

They said that India could not withhold and sustain its undue occupation over Held Kashmir by inflicting oppression and tyranny on the innocent people of Kashmir. Meanwhile, a protest rally was also held at Sammundri which was led by Punjab Minister for Excise and Taxation Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad. Assistant Commissioner Faisal Sultan and a large number of citizens belonging to different walks of life attended the protest rally. Addressing the participants, the minister said: “We will not leave Kashmiris in their difficult time.” He said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan would utilise all efforts and resources for resolving the Kashmir issue as per the will of Kashmiris.

Meanwhile, August 15 was observed as a black day in the University of Agriculture Faisalabad to protest against Indian brutalities, atrocities and human rights abuse in Occupied Kashmir. Talking to the participants of Kashmir solidarity seminar, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf flayed India’s brutal move to annex Occupied Kashmir. He said that Kashmiris must be granted the right to self-determination. He urged the United Nations, OIC and other international organisations to play their due role to block Indian terrorism in Indian Held Kashmir. He said that the UAF would take up the issue among all educational institutions across the globe. He urged the people to effectively use the social media so that our voices could be heard across the word.

Dean Social Sciences Dr Mehmood A Randhawa, Dr Masood Sadiq Butt, scholar Bahir Ahmad Hurl, UAF Controller Examinations Dr Tahir Siddique and Deputy Registrar Syed Qamar Bukhari also spoke on the occasion.

BAHAWALPUR: People Thursday observed Indian Independence Day as black day and showed solidarity with the people of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). Different parties and organisations arranged black day rallies across the division where participants raised slogans against Indian government and in favour of the innocent Kashmiris. In Bahawalpur students and teachers of special schools took out black day rally and raised slogans against Indian leaders. The participants were holding flags of Pakistan and IHK. The main black day rally was taken out by district administration led by Punjab Food Minister Chaudhry Sami Ullah and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shozab Saeed from DC Office. The participants were holding black banners and IHK flags and raised slogans for the liberation of the IHK from Indian occupation. PTI MNA Syed Sami Gillani led a black day rally at Uch Sharif.

Black day rallies were taken out in Bahawalnagar where Punjab Minister for Zakat and Usher Shaukat Ali Lalika, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Shoaib Jadoon and DPO Muhammad Anwar Khaitran led the rally. The rally was taken out from Municipal Committee office upto City Chowk. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jamil Ahmad Jamil and DPO Umer Salamat led Indian black day rallies in Rahim Yar Khan.

Black day rallies were organised at Khanpur, Sadiqabad, Liaqatpur , Hasilpur, Yazman and Khairpur Tamiwala where black flags were hoisted at main points and main roads of the cities to condemn the Indian atrocities in IHK.

JHANG: Like other parts of the country, Indian Independence Day (August 15) was observed as a black day across the district on Thursday. Black flags were hoisted on rooftops of public and private buildings of the city and on vehicles and bikes to reject the Indian nefarious designs.

Protest rallies were taken out in all four tehsils of the district and seminars were organised by education and other departments to highlight the plight of oppressed Kashmiris, who were being subjected to unprecedented persecution over the years. The main rally was brought out from District Council Secretariat. It was led by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Tahir Wattoo. Heads of different public departments, students, traders, industrialists, lawyers, journalists and others participated in the rally. The participants wore black armbands. They condemned India’s unilateral action to change the disputed status of Indian Occupied Kashmir. The DC said that Pakistanis and the government would continue support to the struggle of Kashmiris for their right of self-determination. The DC said that the black day was observed to convey the message to the international community that India had usurped the Kashmiris’ inalienable right to self-determination.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Citizens observed a black day to protest against Indian government's decision to end special status of Indian Held Kashmir. Protest rallies were brought out by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and NGOs, which were also attended by government officials. A PTI rally started from Jhang Road Forest Park and ended at Shahbaz Chowk. It was led by PTI leaders Irfan Jatt and Mian Abdul Basit and district bar association president Chaudhry Tanweer Ahmad. Another rally was taken out from district government complex, which was led by PTI MPA Saeed Ahmad Saeedi and Deputy Commissioner Mohsin Rashid. A rally at Gojra was led by PTI MPA Bilal Asghar Warraich and Assistant Commissioner Ambreen while a rally at Kamalia was led by PTI MNA Riaz Fatyana and AC Rao Tasleem Akhtar.

OKARA: August 15, Indian Independence Day, was observed as a black day across the district. MC Administrator Khurram Shahzad organised the function at Jinnah Hall in which DC Maryam Khan and DPO Jehanzeb Nazir were the guests of honour. PTI district president Tariq Irshad Khan, Chaudhry Abdullah Tahir, Rai Hamad Aslam, Okara Press Club president Chaudhry Atiqur Rehman, Hafiz Husnain Raza, Sheik Azhar, Qari Saeed Usmani and others in their addresses demanded the world leaders take notice of the Kashmir issue. Later, a protest rally was organised, which was led by the DC, the DPO and PTI local leaders. The participants were carrying banners and placards and chanting slogans against India.

PAKPATTAN: The Indian Independence Day was observed as a black day here. A number of rallies were taken out to express solidarity with Kashmiris of Indian Held Kashmir. The protesters were carrying placards and banners. They were also chanting slogans against India. Jamaat-e-Islami and PPP activists also took out rallies.

NANKANA SAHIB: A black day rally was taken out here. Deputy Commissioner Raja Mansoor Ahmad led the rally from DC Office up to Tehsil Morr. Speaking on the occasion, DC Raja Mansoor Ahmad said that Kashmir was a paradise on earth and it would be freed soon from the illegal occupation of India. He said that every Pakistani was standing with the armed forces and Kashmiris. Press club president Chaudhry Afzal Haq Khan, Sikh community and a large number of people from different walks of life participated in the rally.

KASUR: People from all walks of life observed Indian Independence Day as a black day to express their solidarity with the people of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) on Thursday. Various rallies were taken out and the participants raised slogans against Indian government. Speakers at the rallies condemned the Indian atrocities in the IHK and urged global powers to stop Indian aggression in the IHK.

GUJRANWALA: Various religious, political and social organisations here observed Indian Independence Day as black day and held rallies to show solidarity with Kashmiris of the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). The participants of rallies raised slogans against India and in favour of Kashmiri people. They were holding flags of Pakistan and Kashmir and marched on GT Road. The participants urged the United Nations to pay its role and stop Indian aggressions in the IHK.

LALAMUSA: A black day was observed in Lalamusa to express solidarity with Kashmiris of Indian Held Kashmir. The Markazi Anjuman Tajran organised a rally from Government Model High School up to Milad Chowk. Participants of the rally were holding banners. They were also chanting slogans against India. A rally was also taken out from Municipal Committee.