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India's pretention to democracy exposed: APHC

ISLAMABAD: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has said that by observing Indian Republic Day as Black Day, marked by complete strike, the people of occupied Kashmir have once again thoroughly exposed India's pretention to democracy, reports Kashmir Media Service correspondent.

An APHC spokesman said in Srinagar on Thursday that Kashmiris have practically proved to the world that India's military occupation of Kashmiris' soil has no legal, moral or constitutional sanction behind it. By enthusiastically responding to APHC's call for observing Black Day, Kashmiris the world over, had conveyed the message to the world that Kashmiris are solidly and unswervingly behind the Kashmir liberation movement.

He congratulated all Kashmiris, everywhere, for successful observance of Black Day on Wednesday. He said, by usurping the right of self-determination of Kashmiri people and reneging from its commitment to holding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, India had trampled all principles of democracy.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Freedom Party has strongly denounced military siege of its office at Rajbagh Srinagar on Tuesday evening, confining to the office the party's president, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, and forcibly removing black flags, hosted over the office. The troops also prevented Shabbir Ahmad Shah from leading a protest procession to the UN office the Black Day, and from presenting a memorandum there.

The party spokesman said, that successful observance of Black Day must open the Indian ruler's eyes to the grave ground situation in occupied Kashmir and to the glaring fact that all Kashmiris are stoutly and solidly opposed to India's subjugation of their land. APP