It has been one year since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made good on a long-standing electoral promise and announced the repeal of Article 370 from the Indian Constitution, doing away with some of the autonomies that had previously been granted to Indian-held Kashmir.
Combined with a near-total blackout of communications and the deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the region, Kashmir seemed primed for chaos.
Many celebrities have taken to social media and demanded justice for the people in Kashmir.
Actor Osman Khalid Butt simply retweeted a post by StandWithKashmir that featured a video of Black, Indigenous, Uighur, Palestinian, and Rohingyan voices extending their support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination.
https://twitter.com/standwkashmir/status/1290665273138315265
"Mr Modi, even your suppress has failed to make Kashmir yours," tweeted Yumna Zaidi along with a poster reading "Kashmir is not part of India."
https://twitter.com/yumnazaidiactor/status/1290896759015837698
Actor Zhalay Sarhadi also tweeted saying, "Youm-e-Istehsal. We stand with you Kashmir. #Kashmir #5thAugKashmirIstehsalDay"
Actor Veena Malik wrote, "Imagine 365 days of lockdown in any western country and people being tortured, raped and killed by the military? It’s happening in Indian Occupied Kashmir but the so called democratic world and it's human rights organisations are silent. #KashmiriLivesMatter"
Actor Armeena Khan also took to Twitter and shared photos of how the day was being observed across the world. She wrote, "Friends of Kashmir standing in solidarity against the oppression - no human deserves to live in fear and chains. Pictures from Newyork and London #Kashmir #KashmiriLivesMatter #forhumanity"
https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1290948987529420800
Mehwish Hayat urges fans to raise voice for Kashmir
Famous actress Mehwish Hayat has urged her fans to raise their voice for Kashmir.
Taking to Twitter, the Punjab Nahi Jaungi actress wrote: “Today marks one year of the brutal crackdown on the #Kashmir people. 365 days of darkness, pain & torture. Their ongoing suffering will not be forgotten. Inaction is not an option – we must stand up, raise our voices & rid them of this tyranny they’re under. Kashmiri lives matter.”
Earlier, a shocking image of a toddler sitting on the bullet-riddled, bloodied body of his grandfather stirred up outrage in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
And the numbing pain was felt by all those who believe in humanity everywhere in the world.
Even India’s jingoistic media couldn’t ignore the heartbreaking photo after it went viral on social media.
The image tells of the grim situation in IOJ&K where millions of Kashmiris have been living in India’s chokehold since last August.
Soon after the picture went viral, many condemned the brutal attack. One of them being Pakistani superstar Mehwish Hayat. The Chhalawa star has been quite vocal when it comes to speaking against Indian atrocity on Kashmir of late.
Mehwish has openly called out fellow artists from the other side of the border who have supported the Indian army's activities in Kashmir.
“If this doesn’t move you, I don't know what will," the Load Wedding actor tweeted. "How can the world stand by quietly and allow Indian forces to act with such impunity and get away with this aggression against innocent people of Kashmir? How much longer are we going to turn a blind eye? This has to stop. Kashmiri lives also matter.”