Srinagar: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed the Indian Republic Day, the 26th January, as Black Day, on Wednesday to remind the world that India’s continued denial of right to self-determination to the Kashmiri people is contrary to its claim of being a democratic republic, according to media reports.
The call for the observance of the Black Day was given by the illegally detained All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabbir Ahmad Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and supported by other Hurriyat leaders.
The day was marked by a civil curfew by the people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu while the occupation authorities have suspended internet services in all areas of the territory.
Kashmiris and their sympathizers held anti-India demonstrations and rallies in world capitals to draw the attention of the international community towards the Indian state terrorism in IIOJK.
Meanwhile, the occupation authorities have turned the entire Kashmir valley and parts of Jammu region into a military garrison by imposing curfew-like restrictions and deploying Indian troops and police personnel in strength in the name of so-called security measures.
Srinagar and Jammu cities were turned into fortresses. The Indian troops were deployed in large numbers around the main venues of the January 26 functions, especially a cricket Stadium at Sonawar in Srinagar and Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, the main venues of the Indian Republic Day official functions. The roads leading towards the stadiums were sealed with barbed wire and barricades. Sharp-shooters have been deployed on high-rise buildings while the forces’ personnel also used drones and CCTV surveillance to keep a watch on the movement of people.
Meanwhile, a top Pakistani diplomat Tuesday catalogued a series of crimes committed by India against civilians in occupied Kashmir and fervently urged the UN Security Council to take cognizance of the “compelling evidence” on those atrocities and to hold accountable those responsible for them.
Speaking in the Security Council debate on “Protection of civilians in armed conflict” in New York, Ambassador Munir Akram also said that India was financing, sponsoring and supporting terrorist attacks against Pakistan, including from the territory of Afghanistan. “India is not a victim of terrorism; It is the mothership of terrorism in South Asia,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member Council.
Ambassador Akram’s pointed comments evoked a response from Indian representative R Madhusudan, who made oft-repeated allegations against Pakistan about harbouring and supporting terrorists and claiming that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India. Web Desk
