SRINAGAR/ISLAMABAD: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control, and across the world on Tuesday, observed India’s Independence Day as a ‘black day’ to convey a message to the international community that India has illegally occupied their homeland.
Curfew and other restrictions have been imposed across the territory, particularly in Srinagar, in the name of security. In Lal Chowk area, at least 10 check-points have been set up to carry out search and frisking operations.
All routes leading to the venue have been officially sealed and no vehicle is allowed to pass through the routes leading to the venue. Close Circuit Television sets (CCTVs) have been installed in the city to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations.
Army and CRPF personnel have been deployed after every two kilometres on Srinagar-Jammu highway stretch from Sonwar to Bijbehera. Similar arrangements are in place on Srinagar-Baramulla highway stretch.
Kashmiri leadership Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Al Shah Gilani condemned imposition of curfew in Srinagar and other areas. “The curfew-like restrictions, bans, blockades and curbs are the standard response by India and its stooges to peaceful protests,” they said.
In Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), people also observed India’s Independence Day as ‘black day’ to register a strong protest against continued forced illegal occupation of a large part of the Kashmiri state by India.
The other objective of the day was to express their deep concern over the ruthless use of force against the innocent people of occupied Jammu Kashmir who were struggling for their right to self-determination promised by the United Nations and India too, through the UN resolutions.
The Indian Independence Day was marked with protest rallies in all small and major towns across the liberated territory.
Addressing these rallies, speakers vehemently condemned the frequent incidents of unprovoked firing by the Indian troops on the line of control and the working boundary by the Indian army targeting the civilian population dwelling at the forward areas.
People from diverse segments of the civil society including social, political and other public representative organisations attended the rallies held in the capital city of Muzaffarabad as well as all other nine district headquarters of Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, Rawalakot, Bhimbher, Neelam valley, Jhelum valley, Haveli, Sudhanoti and other small and major towns across AJK.
In Islamabad, the Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK) organised a Black Day event to mark August 15, the Indian Independence Day as Black Day by releasing 5,000 black balloons to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir living under Indian occupation.
Releasing black balloons had a message of “Free Kashmir” written on them. The event was attended by Kashmiri and Pakistani youth, youth political wings and civil society members gathered at F-9 Park, Islamabad.
They chanted slogans against the ongoing human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir, against the use of bullets and pellets on innocent natives of Kashmir, against the insensitivity of Indian government towards the killings in Kashmir.
YFK, an international lobby group is Pakistan’s pro-Kashmir, registered and nonpartisan NGO led by young Kashmiris and Pakistanis working to ensure justice to Kashmiris living under Indian-military occupation.
