Kashmiris observe Black Day across globe today

Multi-layered security cover in IIOJK

Srinagar, January 26 (KMS): Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observed Indian Republic Day, today, as Black Day in protest against India’s continued denial of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

Call for the observance of the Black Day was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and other Hurriyat leaders and organizations.

Meanwhile, stringent measures in the name of security were taken on the India’s Republic Day, bringing more miseries to the already besieged people in occupied Kashmir. Indian troops had intensified checking and frisking in Srinagar city and other parts of the territory.

The forces’ personnel had set up check points on every road and chowk where commuters and pedestrians were frisked and vehicles were checked thoroughly.

In Srinagar, all roads leading towards a cricket stadium, the venue of main function, were sealed with barbed wire and barricades were erected around the stadium. Unprecedented arrangements were made in and around the stadium.

A close vigil was maintained on all vehicles and pedestrians entering the city. Police personnel could be seen carrying out surprise checking of the vehicles on the entry and exit points in Srinagar. The cops were also frisking motorcyclists and passengers of vehicles in the city. Similar reports were received from other parts of the territory.

APHC leaders, including Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, Rafia Rasool, Dr Musaib and Muhammad Aqib, in their statements conveyed a massage to the world that India is not a true democratic country as it has usurped the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people for the past over seven decades.

They said that Modi regime had put the entire Jammu and Kashmir under military siege to celebrate its Republic Day in the occupied territory.

APHC-AJK leaders Shaikh Abdul Mateen and Shamim Shawl in their separate statements in Islamabad said that India had forcibly seized Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 with its military might and since then more than six lakh Kashmiris had been mercilessly killed by the Indian forces. India and its stooges have let lose a reign of terror and turned the Jammu and Kashmir into a big jail and are and pushing the people to wall, the statements added.

The statements, while expressing serious concern over the continued illegal detention of Hurriyat leaders and activists, including APHC Chairman Masarrat Alam Butt, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Aasiya Andrabi, Naheeda Nasreen and Fehmeeda Sofi, and urged the United Nation Human Rights Council and other human rights bodies to take notice of the worst situation of Jammu and Kashmir.

The statements also paid tributes to victims of Kupwara and Handwara massacres.