Shaheer Ahmed
27th October is observed as a black Day on in Kashmir on both sides of the border. It commemorated the Illegal Occupation by India 74 years ago without any legal justification. Since then, Indian forces have been involved in brutal killings and atrocities. All Party Hurriyat Conference called for a state-wide protest.
Black day is marked to express support and solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. It is also to remind the United Nations and the international community of its commitments regarding the resolution of this longstanding dispute.
Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) spokesperson Dr. Irfan said, “It is unfortunate that the Kashmir issue is still pending, and despite agreed resolutions of the United Nations, it is not being resolved. While the occupant India is continuously and deliberately target-killing Kashmiris to punish them for their demand for freedom from illegal Indian occupation, this pattern of brutalities continues with impunity even today. The worst form of state terrorism is being perpetrated against the defenseless people of IIOJK to silence and crush their legitimate struggle, with complete disregard for international human rights and humanitarian laws. The entire Indian state machinery is involved in these crimes against humanity.”
He also added, “After the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, the Modi-led BJP government of India started an economic and financial breakdown of IIOK. The heaven on earth has seen no tourists, businesses are destroyed, educational institutes are closed, students and youth are facing psychological traumas, and houses are being demolished. The leaders of IIOJK, even the oldest, were not given proper medical care, and proper burial as per Islamic rites, it’s a shame as India calls herself the biggest democracy in the world. Moreover, to keep the people of the occupied valley leaderless, the Indian occupant administration has arrested Hurriyat leaders including Massrat Alam Bhat, Yaseen Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Asiya Andrabi, Fehmida Soofi, and others by involving them in fake cases.”
APHC said, “The Kashmiris to demonstrate to the world that they would not rest till Jammu and Kashmir was liberated from Indian slavery.” It urged the global community to give up its criminal silence on the Indian brutalities in IIOJK and take practical steps to force New Delhi to give the Kashmiris their right to self-determination as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
The Indian occupation forces in IIOJK have killed 96,148 people, among them 7,274 are custodial killings, 110,498 structures arsoned/destroyed, 165,400 civilians arrested, 22,950 women widowed, 107,880 children orphaned and 11,256 women gang-raped/molested since 1989.
These facts seek the urgent attention of the international community. The denial of the right to self-determination for the last seven decades raises questions about the conscience of the international community and the United Nations, he added.
Pakistan has supported Kashmir endlessly diplomatically and politically since the very beginning of this dispute in 1948. The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) in collaboration with the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan organized different activities on Kashmir Black Day. The activities included the screening of video documentaries, display of banners, photo exhibition, and display of Kashmiri folk crafts. An exclusive photo exhibition was arranged in the Hall of Changing Exhibitions.
