20000127

Black Day observed

Kashmiris stage demo

against Indian atrocities

ISLAMABAD: Kashmiris on Wednesday staged a big demonstration on the call given by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), here in front of the Indian High Commission to observe Indian Republic Day as "Black Day" and to express solidarity with the struggling Kashmiris.

The black day is being observed on both the sides of LoC and by the Kashmiris living abroad to condemn Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and denial of their birth right to self-determination for the last 52 years promised to them by the UN Security Council.

Human rights activist, Ansar Burney, advocate, on the occasion also staged a sit-in in front of the Indian High Commission to invite the attention of the world community and human rights organisation towards the gross violations of basic human rights and atrocities being perpetrated by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir to suppress the inalienable right of the Kashmiris to self-determination.

The leaders of all parties of Azad Kashmir, Kashmir Journalists Forum, All Jammu Kashmir Sunni Jehad Council and people belonging to all walks of life including women participated in the demonstration.

The demonstration which started from Constitution Avenue was led by the convenor of the APHC, Azad Kashmir Chapter, Syed Yousuf Nasim. The participants marched towards Indian High Commission, chanting anti-India slogans including "We want freedom," "Indian dogs quit Kashmir," "Kashmir is our," "Doomed to India," "Stop atrocities and genocide of Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir," "Struggle for freedom to continue till the realisation of our birth right to self-determination." "Freedom is our right." "Stop firing on innocent people of Azad Kashmir." The participants also called upon the international community to take notice of Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and pressurise India to stop it immediately and allow people of Kashmir to exercise their birth right to self-determination through a UN sponsored plebiscite.

Later the participants were addressed by the leaders belonging to different political and religious parties. They included among others, Prof. Mohammad Asharaf Sayaf, Syed Yousuf Naseem, General Mohammad Hayat Khan (Retd), Chaudhary Mohammad Latif Akber, Zafar Ali Magray, Abdul Rashid Turabi, Hafiz Mohammad Bilal, Ghulam Raza Naqvi, Ms. Shahnaz Butt, Ms. Zahida Aslam and Syed Pir Mohammad Raza Bokhari.

The speakers strongly condemned India for perpetrating untold atrocities on innocent people of occupied Kashmir including women and children to suppress their birth right to self-determination.

They said that it is strange that India on one hand claims to be a democratic country on the other other hand the life, honour and properties of the minorities including Muslims are not safe in India. They said that India in occupied Kashmir has been denying the right of self-determination to the people of occupied Kashmir for the last 52 years and has massacred more than 70,000 innocent Kashmiris in occupied valley.

They on the occasion reiterated their commitment to continue their struggle till the freedom of Kashmir from Indian thraldom.

The speakers paid glowing tributes to the sacrifices of struggling Kashmiris for the case of Kashmir freedom despite facing worst type of repression at the hands of the Indian occupation forces in the held valley.

They hoped that sacrifices of Kashmiris would not go waste and would soon result complete freedom of Kashmir from Indian yoke.

Later the participants dispersed peacefully.ÑAPP