Kashmiris observe 'Black Day' to denounce Indian occupation of their land

Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over are observing Black Day today to send a message to the world that they reject India's illegal occupation of their homeland on October 27, 1947.

There is a shutdown in the occupied valley while protest demonstrations are being held and rallies are being taken out not only in the held territory but also in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Pakistan to denounce the Indian occupation as well as the revocation of the state's special status by India's BJP government. 

In the AJK capital Muzaffarabad, the Kashmir Liberation Commission plans to hold a protest demonstration today, which will be followed by a rally.

Similarly, Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmiri Refugees, other Hurriyat organisations and political and religious parties also plan to do the same to mark the occasion.

President Zardari's message on October 27

In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari has said that October 27,1947 is the darkest day in the history of South Asia since it was on this day that the Indian forces had landed in Kashmir to occupy the state. "Kashmiris have been suffering at the hands of Indian troops for the last several decades. India has turned the territory into a high militarized zone," he has said, adding, "So far thousands of innocent Kashmiris have been martyred."

The president has said not only that, media has been completely gagged so that it could not show to the world the atrocities by the Indian army. "Besides that, All hurriyet leaders are presently imprisoned." 

India, he has added, has been violating the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions for decades. 

PM Shehbaz's message on October 27

President AJK Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry and Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq have asked the Kashmiris to register their protest against India.

They said that protest rallies would be held in important world capitals to highlight the nefarious designs of India and the current human rights situation in Occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Indian forces have intensified extensive search operations across various districts of the occupied Valley.

Indian troops have deployed drones and helicopters in a large-scale operation in the Bota Pathri area of Gulmarg, Baramulla. 

Indian paramilitary Border Security Force and police are conducting similar operations in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district. So far, dozens of individuals have been detained during these operations.

Witnesses report that troops are intimidating residents, further heightening the already fearful atmosphere in the occupied territory.

In a message, AJK PM Haq condemned Indian atrocities against Kashmiris for 77 years. He recalled that in 1965 and 1971, due to oppression in Kashmir, many people migrated to Azad Kashmir and Pakistan and after 1989, more than 96,000 civilians were martyred.

The lives, property, honour and integrity of the Muslims in the occupied Kashmir are unsafe in Indian-occupied Kashmir, he said, adding that people of India are being brought and settled in occupied Kashmir.

People from India are being preferred for government jobs in the held Valley while all the Hurriyat leaders have been detained, the AJK PM said, adding that human rights activists and independent journalists are in jails in occupied Kashmir.

He said the freedom of speech and public gatherings are completely banned.

However, he said Indian oppression and cruelty could not shatter Kashmiris’ resolve. He renewed the call for a solution to Kashmir per the United Nations resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiris.

He showed solidarity with the Kashmiris fighting for the right to self-determination and paid tribute to the Hurriyat leadership.

Mushaal Malik's message 

Mushaal Malik, wife of Kashmiri freedom fighter Yasin Malik, in her message on the occasion of ‘Black Day’ has said that not a single day has passed since the Indian occupation of Kashmir when the people of the held territory have not suffered at the hands of the Indian forces. “I want to remind the United Nations (UN) that the issues of Kashmir and Palestine still remain unresolved despite the passage of several decades,” Mushaal has said, adding, “People of both the occupied territories are still fighting for their independence.”

On the other hand, rallies were taken out in different towns and cities of the country to show solidarity with Kashmiris.

People, belonging to all walks of life, took to streets including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Shikarpur, Umarkot and Badin to condemn the Indian occupation of Kashmir.