–Rallies, seminars to mark Kashmir Day held across city
LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan said on Tuesday that the Kashmir dispute was the only issue where all political parties were on one page.
In his statement on Kashmir Solidarity Day, Chohan said Kashmiris were waving the Pakistani flag in continuation of their struggle for liberation from India’s clutches.
He called upon the Indian government to give up the desire to rule Kashmir and said United Nations (UN) resolutions on Kashmir must be implemented in letter and spirit. “The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will work to take forward the Kashmir cause.”
Chohan reiterated the government’s stance that Kashmir was an integral part of Pakistan and said Prime Minister Imran Khan had given a positive message to Narendra Modi but it was not reciprocated in the same manner.
Meanwhile, various political and religious parties organised seminars and rallies in the provincial capital to express solidarity with Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.
Political parties, including the Azad Kashmir chapter of ruling PTI and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), set up a camp at Charing Cross whereas the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Niazi group of the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan, Jamaate Islami, Youth Forum for Kashmir, Muslim Students Federation and others also took out rallies to express solidarity with Kashmiris.
Tehreek-e-Azadi Jammu Kashmir also held a rally from Nasir Bagh to the Punjab Assembly. A seminar titled “Struggle for Kashmir Freedom” was organised by PTI at its Chairman Secretariat as well.
PTI Additional Secretary General Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Dewan Ghulam Mohyuddin, Dr Shahid Siddique, Nadeem Qadir Bhandar, Amin Zakki, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad, Haji Azizur Rehman Chan, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Pervaiz Malik and others also pledged to support Kashmiris in their struggle against Indian atrocities.
They said that the brave people of occupied Kashmir had rekindled the freedom movement with their blood and the Pakistani nation was standing with its Kashmiri brethren.
Special arrangements to provide complete security to participants of rallies and seminars were also put in place by the police.