Thousands of people raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans participated in the rallies held across south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Shopian and Islamabad districts in Indian-held Kashmir on Sunday.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the rallies were held in Parigam, Chitragam and Dailgam areas of the districts. People travelled on trucks, buses, cars and walked on foot to attend the rallies. The participants of the rallies also waved Pakistani flags on the occasion. Religious scholars from all schools of thought and Hurriyat leaders and activists, including Ghulam Nabi Sumji, Mir Hafizullah, Mohammad Yousuf Fallahi and Mohammad Yousuf Mir addressed the rallies.
In a latest development, as many as 500 panchs, sarpanchs and activists of different pro-India political parties have publicly resigned from their present positions in south Kashmir and have announced to join the ongoing Intifada in Kashmir.
All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC)Chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement appealed to all pro-India politicians, activists, lawmakers, panchs and sarpanchs to resign and join people’s movement for freedom.
The leaders also asked the United Nations (UN) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take concrete steps to save the lives of innocent Kashmiris in the territory.
APHC General Secretary Shabbir Ahmad Shah in a statement sought the role of UN and OIC to end human rights violations in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the Indian authorities continued to impose curfew and other restrictions in the territory for the 44th consecutive day on Sunday.
The authorities sealed all entry and exit points leading to Lal Chowk area of Srinagar. The troops even did not spare journalists and aimed guns at the staff members of Srinagar-based Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Uzma in Srinagar. The journalists were harassed, and given life threats. A prayer leader was ruthlessly beaten up by the troops in Kupwara. On the other hand, Indian troops in their stepped-up state terrorism martyred three youth in Tangdhar area of Kupwara district on Sunday. The army claimed that the youth were killed during an encounter in the area.
An anti-India rally led by Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League Muhammad Farooq Rehmani was also held in Muzaffarabad on Sunday.
The participants of the rally urged the UN to force India to abandon its illegal occupation over Jammu and Kashmir.
