Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed Indian Republic Day, today, as Black Day, call for which was given by the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani. Observance of the day was aimed at conveying the international community that India’s continued denial of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination was contrary to its claim of being a democratic republic.
In occupied Kashmir, all business establishments, government and private offices, banks and courts remained closed while traffic was off the road. Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary forces were patrolling the streets and all the roads leading to Bakhshi Stadium in Srinagar, where the main Republic Day function was held, were sealed.
It happened for the first time during the last twenty years that due to the apprehension of the public resistance, Indian authorities desisted from hoisting Indian flag on the Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
The APHC-AJK chapter organized a demonstration in front of the United Nations Observers’ Office in Islamabad, which was led by the Convenor, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar. On the occasion a memorandum presented to the UN Office urged the United Nations to help stop Indian atrocities against the innocent people of the occupied territory. In Muzaffarabad, a big procession was taken out, which marched through different streets of the city. Kashmiri leaders expressed the hope that the Kashmir liberation movement was destined to succeed.
In Brussels, a big demonstration was staged outside the Indian High Commission, which was led by the Chairman of Kashmir Centre, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo. In a separate function organised by the Centre, the speakers including Chairman of Pakistan’s Senate, Farooq H Naek, speaker of the AJK Assembly, Shah Ghulam Qadir and the Chairman of the Centre, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, urged India to come forward in a big way to settle the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations.
