Engineer Rohan Chaudhary
MIRPUR: India’s Republic Day was marked as “Black Day” in Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and across Pakistan, with massive protests denouncing Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. A protest rally, organized by the district administration, political parties, traders’ associations, employees’ unions, educational institutions, and civil society, commenced from the District Courts and culminated at Shaheed Chowk, where a major demonstration took place.
Led by Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq, Hurriyat leaders, and civil society representatives, the participants carried black flags, placards, and banners denouncing Indian occupation and supporting Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. Slogans such as “Down with Indian Republic,” “India Quit Kashmir,” “Freedom is Our Right,” and “Pakistan Zindabad” echoed through the streets.
The rally was addressed by Raja Umar Tariq, Chairman District Council Raja Naveed Akhtar Goga, Hurriyat leaders Mahmood Saghar, Muhammad Aslam Malik, and Qazi Muhammad Imran. Deputy Mayor Municipal Corporation Muhammad Ramzan Chughtai presented resolutions condemning India’s actions.
The speakers highlighted the inhumane atrocities inflicted by India in occupied Kashmir over the past 77 years and the deprivation of rights of Muslims within India. They criticized India’s self-proclamation as a democratic state, terming it a false claim. The speakers vowed that Kashmiris would continue to observe India’s Republic Day as Black Day until they achieve their right to self-determination as per United Nations resolutions.
Several resolutions were passed during the protest. These included:
- Condemnation of India’s claim to democracy on January 26, 1950, while denying rights to minorities and committing atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
- Strong opposition to the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.
- Calls for the global community, especially the United Nations, to intervene and ensure the implementation of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination as per UN resolutions.
- Condemnation of black laws, human rights violations, and the conversion of Jammu and Kashmir into a virtual prison since August 5, 2019.
- Denunciation of the detention and persecution of Hurriyat leaders, youth killings, and fabricated encounters.
- An affirmation of the unity of the Kashmiri nation in the struggle for liberation and accession to Pakistan.
The participants paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement, the Pakistan Movement, and the Pakistan Armed Forces, acknowledging their sacrifices for freedom and national defense.
Similar protest rallies were held in Islamgarh and Dadyal under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner Yasir Aftab Gardezi and Assistant Commissioner Yasir Bukhari, where participants demanded an end to Indian atrocities and the recognition of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
The event concluded with prayers for the liberation of occupied Kashmir, the prosperity and security of Pakistan, the strength of its armed forces, and the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
