Engineer Rohan Chaudhary
Mirpur: Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq announced that January 26 will be observed as a “Black Day” in Mirpur District in protest against India’s Republic Day, while February 5 will be celebrated as Kashmir Solidarity Day. The events will aim to raise awareness and renew the commitment to support the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people against India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
On February 5, the people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) will join hands at Mangla and Dhan Gali bridges to form a human chain. Participants will include representatives of political and social organizations, traders, members of the Chamber of Commerce, lawyers, councilors, employee unions, journalists, civil society members, teachers, students, and other groups. The event will symbolize the unity and inseparable bond between Pakistanis and Kashmiris, sending a message to the world that no power can divide them.
The day will begin with special prayers in mosques. A formal event will be held at Mangla Bridge at 9 a.m., where sirens will be sounded, followed by a minute of silence. Participants will wave the national flags of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and form a human chain as a gesture of solidarity.
On January 26, a protest rally will be held at 11 a.m. at the district headquarters in Mirpur to observe India’s Republic Day as a Black Day. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq. Key officials, including DHO Dr. Fida Hussain Raja, Assistant Commissioner Raja Zahid Hussain, and representatives of various organizations, attended the meeting.
The meeting also decided to organize additional events to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, including volleyball matches, marathon races, and other competitions. Raja Umar Tariq urged the public to participate in the January 26 protest rally to expose India’s alleged secularism to the world.
Highlighting the significance of Kashmir Solidarity Day, he noted that the people and government of Pakistan observe this day every year to express unwavering support for the Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their struggle for freedom. The observance of this day holds a unique place in the history of the Kashmir freedom movement.
