Kashmir Solidarity Day observed across country: World sees through Modi’s ideology, says PM

By Our correspondents

MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said Indian premier Narendra Modi had committed a ‘fatal blunder’ with his illegal and unilateral steps over the internationally recognised Kashmir dispute, which would ultimately pave the way for freedom of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

Addressing the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the prime minister said if Modi could not step back his policies of racism and nationalism in the form of Hindutva would wreak havoc upon India.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the world was comprehending theory of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that the West had its own interests on not supporting Kashmir cause. He said that he briefed US President Donald Trump three times on Kashmir issue and also informed German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the grim situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He said that issue of Kashmir will have to be highlighted again and again in the world.

“The jinni of racism and nationalism when came out of bottle it always wrecked destruction and spilled bloodshed,” he said, and referred to the genocide in Rwanda, of Jews in Germany and the Muslims in Myanmar.

In Karachi, he lamented, ethnic differences were created in the past, leading to killing of hundreds of people.

The prime minister said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an extremist organisation in India, had a philosophy directly inspired from Hitler’s Nazi as its founding father RS Golwalkar had great admiration for that philosophy. The organisation, he said, had documented planning over ethnic cleansing of the Muslims in India.

Even other minorities were not spared as evident from enactment of two most controversial citizenship pieces of legislation, he added.

The prime minister said the world was now acknowledging the destruction towards India was heading. He said Modi’s steps had provided an opportunity to them to highlight the IOJ&K more fervently at the global fora.

The world community, which was not realising the scale of worst inhuman atrocities being perpetrated against the innocent Kashmiris, had now started criticising India and expressing concerns over the human rights violations and lockdown of 8 million Kashmiris, he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan affirmed that it is his faith that the held Valley will get freedom. He said he had promised to become ambassador of Kashmir and has raised its voice at all international forums.

He said that Indian PM claimed he can conquer Pakistan in just 11 days. Such statements cannot be given by any normal person but those who are scared, he added. The prime minister said that Indian PM Modi is not a normal person. He asserted that India is executing terrorism and oppressing Kashmiris and they want to convert the occupied valley into a minority.

Earlier PM Imran Khan reached Muzaffarabad in order to express unwavering and unflinching support to Kashmiri brethren on Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur accompanied the premier as they were warmly received by AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider Khan.

PM Imran was presented with a guard of honour by police on his arrival.

AJK president and prime minister were also present during the proceedings.

Imran Khan said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election campaigns were based upon Pakistan bashing in which sentiments for Hindutva were whipped. But the world had understood the perilous situation as the Indian intellectuals were also raising their voices as they had also grasped the situation in India.

On the other hand, the entire nation on Wednesday expressed solidarity with brethren in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) with a renewed pledge to stand by them in the hour of turmoil and awaken the world conscience against the worst form of subjugation and violation of human rights.

Protests, rallies and programmes were held across the country to support the just struggle of Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination where the participants reiterated political, moral and diplomatic support of Kashmiris from Indian yoke.

One minute silence was observed at 1000 hours to pay homage to the martyrs of Kashmir freedom struggle across the country including Azad Kashmir to draw attention of the world towards Indian tyrannies against innocent Kashmiris.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had broadcast a special message and documentary in its selected flights to highlight the Kashmir cause and plight of the people of IoJ&K.

The Day also remained a top trend on social media and thousands of the users of twitter, Facebook and Instagram paid tributes to Kashmiris.

Human chains were formed at Kohala, Mangla, Barar Kot, Holar and Azad Pattan points linking Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi reiterating the strong resolve to continue raising the issue of Jammu & Kashmir at every available fora, said India’s illegal actions of August 5 had further strengthened the bonds between the people of IoJ&K and Pakistan.

“The government and the people of Pakistan will continue to extend their political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people until getting their legitimate right to self-determination as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the president said in his message on the Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Governors, chief ministers, parliamentarians, armed forces chief were also issued messages to express solidarity with the people of IoJ&K.

Mishal Malik, the wife of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik thanked Pakistan government for its ‘unconditional and unflinching support’ to the political movement of the people of IoJ&K for their right to self-determination.

Apart from the country hundreds of New York’s yellow taxis displaying "Free Kashmir" signs appeared on the streets and avenues of America's most populous city to express support for Kashmiris and for the exercise of their UN-pledged right to self-determination.

Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message said India has turned 8 million Kashmiris into prisoners in their own land through the deployment of over 900 000 occupation troops.

He said Pakistan demands the immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blackout as well as rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions.

The prime minister said all those illegally arrested and incarcerated should be released and the draconian laws enabling impunity to Indian occupation forces be immediately repealed.

Pakistan will continue its full moral political and diplomatic support until the Kashmiri people have realized their legitimate right of self determination in accordance with the United Nations Charter and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions he said in a message on Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Meanwhile, in a message on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said the entire Pakistani nation stands united with Kashmiri people.

The foreign minister said the international community must act in support of the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris and urge India to allow the UN Fact-Finding Mission to occupied Kashmir to ascertain the reports of grave human rights violations there. He said each additional second on the lockdown clock is a burden on the world’s collective conscience.

Rallies and protests were staged all over the country on call of Pakistan Ulema Council and Wafaq-ul-Masajid Madaris-e-Pakistan to mark 'Kashmir-Palestine Solidarity Day' on Wednesday.

Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, and other office bearers of Pakistan Ulema Council in their respective districts and divisions addressed rallies and protest demonstrations in support of Kashmir cause.

Leadership of Pakistan Ulema Council including Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, Maulana Asad Zikriya, Maulana Ayub Safdar, Maulana Abdul Karim Nadeem, Maulana Aseedur Rehman, Allama Tahirul Hassan, Maulana Aziz Akbar Qasmi, Maulana Usman Baig Farooqi and Pir Asad Shah Jammali in their speeches underlined that Kashmir dispute has raised questions on role and effectiveness of world bodies and relevant conventional world moralities on politics and international laws.

Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said last six months, Kashmir has been turned in to jail on orders of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said clerics adding that Kashmir has been turned into the most militarized valley of the world with presence of one million Indian troops in Occupied Kashmir. He said for last six months, people of Kashmir have been locked down in their homes by restricting opportunities to access the world with any sort of communications.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organised a Kashmir Solidarity Day rally to convey a categorical message to all and sundry that the days of Indian occupation of Kashmir were numbered and despite deployment of 1 million forces, New Delhi was facing humiliation.

PTI senior leaders, including Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Special Assistant to PM Ali Nawaz and chairman standing committee Raja Khurram Nawaz spoke on the occasion at Aabpara intersection.

The minister emphasized that the Pakistani nation and the government stood by people of Kashmiris and would remain so till the last drop of blood. He pointed out that as the ambassador of Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran Khan had fully exposed the fascist machinations before the world community and conveyed the message of Kashmiris to the world powers.

“India has completely failed to quiet the Kashmiris and the world despite unleashing state terrorism on them and turning the entire occupied valley into a prison,” asserted Ali Nawaz while speaking to the audience, most of whom carried Pakistani and Kashmiri flags and chanted slogans in support of Kashmir freedom and against Indian state terrorism.

Raj Khurram Nawaz was confident that the supreme sacrifices, rendered by people of Kashmir would bear fruit soon, as the liberation movement had blood of martyrs in its foundation. He added every Kashmiri had contributed in their just struggle and now it was time for the world community to come forward and exert pressure on India for the UN-mandated plebiscite.

PTI Deputy Information Secretary Amir Mughal made an appeal to the world community to see occupied Kashmir from the angle of humanity and prefer human beings over trade and commerce.