Nation to observe Kashmir Hour on Friday

–PM Imran says protest will be ‘clear message’ that entire nation stands in solidarity with Kashmiris against fascist Indian govt

–Says plan to change demography of Kashmir is a war crime under 4th Geneva Convention

LAHORE: As Kashmiri people continue to reel under Indian oppression, which has increased manifold in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 with weeks-long curfew in place, Pakistanis have decided to express solidarity with the oppressed people of the occupied region by coming out on the streets on Friday noon on the call of Prime Minister Imran Khan to observe the ‘Kashmir Hour’.

The call for the observance of this hour came as Pakistan ramps up the pressure at the diplomatic front over the Kashmir issue, conveying its reservations to the global community about human rights violations being committed by India in the occupied Kashmir.

It will be a “strong message” of solidarity to Kashmiris, reiterated Prime Minister Imran days after the idea was approved by the National Security Committee in a meeting and was shared by the premier in his address to the nation.

“I want all Pakistanis to come out tomorrow 12-12:30pm to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people and send the Kashmiris in Indian-occupied Kashmir a clear message that the entire Pakistani nation stands in solidarity with them and against Indian fascist oppression, the inhumane 24-day curfew, the daily injuring and killing of Kashmiri civilians, including women & children — all part of the ethnic cleansing agenda of the Modi government and its illegal annexation of IoK,” said the premier in a tweet posted ahead of the special day.

“The plan to change demography of Kashmir is a war crime under 4th Geneva Convention,” he said, highlighting an oft-repeated concern that the move was aimed at changing the demography of Kashmir by the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The call has also been endorsed by the Pakistan Army.

In a press conference on Wednesday, chief military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor urged the nation, especially youth, to participate in the rallies.

The PM’s call for Kashmir Hour has also been endorsed by celebrities, with pop singer Shahzad Roy, cricketer Shahid Afridi and TV anchor Fakhar-e-Alam vowing to come out for Kashmir.

“Let’s respond to PM’s call for Kashmir Hour as a nation. I will be with 2500 girls studying at Smb Fatima Jinnah Gov School at 12pm on Friday. Join me to express solidarity with our Kashmiri brethren. On 6 Sep I will visit the family of a Shaheed & will soon visit LOC,” Shahzad Roy wrote in a tweet.

According to the schedule for the Kashmir Hour, sirens will be blared across the country and national anthems of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir will be sung between 12:00-12:30pm to show India that Pakistan stands with Kashmiri brethren.

During the 30-minute long period, traffic signals will be red, people will come out of their vehicles for Kashmir and chants slogans against the nefarious Modi agenda.

The main event of the Kashmir Hour will be organised on Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue where the prime minister will arrive accompanied by members of parliament. Federal ministers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders will also gather at D-Chowk. Besides, the premier will address students at the lawn of Parliament House.

The members of national and provincial assemblies will hold protests in their respective constituencies whereas assistant and deputy commissioners have also finalised plan to hold rallies in their respective areas. The government has also urged students and civil society to participate in the demonstrations.

Like all departments, Pakistan Railways will also observe the Hour in solidarity with Kashmiri people.

A total of 138 trains of Pakistan Railways would be stopped wherever they would be for one minute during 12:00 to 12:30 hours, said Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed.

He said the trains that would be at the railway stations will play national anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir.

There would be no routine work in any railway workshop and factory across the country during the said time and all the railway employees would observe the ‘Kashmir Hour’ and express solidarity with the Kashmiris, the minister added.

On August 5, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped Kashmiris of the constitutional rights they had for seven decades through a rushed presidential order. An indefinite curfew was imposed in occupied Kashmir and elected leaders were put under house arrest.

At least 500 incidents of protest have broken out in Indian-administered Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the region of its autonomy and imposed a military clampdown more than three weeks ago, a senior government official has told the AFP news agency.

The Kashmir valley is under a strict lockdown, imposed hours before India’s decision to bring Kashmir under its direct rule.

Movements are restricted in the region and phone and internet services have been cut. Police have been using pellet guns and tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters in the main city of Srinagar.