KARACHI: On Youm-i-Istehsal (Exploitation Day), a day dedicated to supporting the resistance of the people of India-held Kashmir, numerous conferences and rallies were organised in Karachi and other parts of the province to show solidarity with the oppressed people.

Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said on Monday that the illegal actions of August 5, 2019, were an attempt to take away the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris.

He expressed these views while speaking to media representatives at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s head office after leading a rally. Municipal Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi, departmental heads, other officers, employees, and a large number of citizens were also present.

“According to international laws, these illegal actions have no validity. Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan, and Pakistan pays tribute to the struggle of the Kashmiri people. As long as Kashmir is not free, August 5 will continue to be observed as Kashmir Exploitation Day,” said Mr Wahab. ,

Rallies, conferences, seminars held across Sindh to show solidarity with people of India-held Kashmir

He added that India, for the past five years, had abolished the disputed status of Kashmir by amending Article 370 of its constitution, trampling all international laws and resolutions, and making the state of Kashmir its own territory, thus creating an unparalleled situation of oppression and brutality. The people of Kashmir had been suffering from Indian atrocities for many decades, and it was extremely shameful for the civilised world today that it had failed to liberate the oppressed Kashmiris from Indian tyranny and oppression, he observed.

Sindh government’s rally

The Sindh government observed Youm-i-Istehsal against India’s illegal move to end the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

In this regard, a rally under the leadership of Provincial Energy Minister Nasir Hussain Shah was taken out from People’s Chowrangi to Mazar-i-Quaid to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister Waqar Mehdi, Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi, secretaries of various departments, all deputy commissioners, all assistant commissioners, all district administration staff, education department officers, teachers, and a large number of school children participated in the rally.

Mr Shah and Mr Naqvi addressed the participants after the walk. Expressing solidarity with Kashmiris, Mr Shah termed India’s move to end Kashmir’s special status as illegal and a clear violation of UN resolutions.

He said that the people of Pakistan had always been with the Kashmiris in their freedom struggle and would continue to support them morally and diplomatically.

Mr Naqvi said in his address that the rally was an expression of determination that the government and people of Pakistan did not accept India’s decision and that they would continue to support the right of Kashmiris to vote in every forum of the world, including the United Nations.

SMIU rally

Sindh Madressatul Islam University observed Youm-i-Istehsal-i-Kashmir with a national spirit.

A rally was brought out from the Main Building of SMIU, led by Vice Chancellor SMIU Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai and other officials.

The rally went around the nearby roads of SMIU and culminated at the university premises. A program was then held at the university auditorium, chaired by VC. Speakers paid tribute to the struggle of the Kashmiri people and condemned the atrocities and brutality of Indian forces.

The session was attended by faculty, officials, other employees, and students in large numbers.

KU holds seminar

All relevant international forums have been silent over the issue for the last seven decades or more, and that is why we need to play our role with more responsibility and determination. These views were expressed by the renowned scholar Professor Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed on Monday. He was addressing a seminar on Youm-i-Istehsal: the Kashmir crisis organised by the Students Advisor Office of the University of Karachi at the KU Chinese Teachers Memorial Auditorium.

Dr Jaffar expressed that with the help of different communication technologies, the voice of oppressed Kashmiri people can be spread around the world. He said that the world will listen to us when we become a strong economic country.

“Our problem is that the prices of our food items are fixed by the IMF, and we have to give them guarantees from other countries to get loans,” he said.

He informed the audience that before revoking the special status of occupied Kashmir, the Modi-led government asked the tourists to leave the valley months ago, dissolved the assembly, arrested leaders, shut down the internet, and sent more forces and Hindus to different locations of Indian-occupied Kashmir, but our government was unaware of the Indian government’s move and intention.

On this occasion, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that politicians and parliamentarians must unite to raise the voice of Kashmir at the international level. He mentioned that the Kashmiri people deserve the right to self-determination.

CISSS conference

Speakers at a seminar on Youm-i-Istehsal Kashmir, on Monday, emphasised that resolving the oldest dispute on the United Nations agenda according to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is vital for peace and stability in the region. They opined that ensuring the right of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite under United Nations supervision is the only sustainable option for resolving the issue democratically.

The seminar was organised by the Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS) in collaboration with the Press Information Department Regional Directorate Karachi on the 5th anniversary of the revocation of the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Executive Director CISSS, Ambassador (R) Qazi M. Khalilullah, stated that Pakistan has been raising the Kashmir issue on every forum, including the United Nations General Assembly, Security Council, Human Rights Council, and Organisation of Islamic Countries, to resolve the conflict according to the aspirations of the people of Kashmir in light of UN resolutions.

Political parties mark the day

Several political parties, including the Muttahdia Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and others either held their separate events, meeting or addressed press conferences to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

GDA leaders Dr Safdar Abbasi and Sardar Abdul Rahim, addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, condemned India’s actions on August 5, 2019.

A protest demonstration was held in front of the Karachi Press Club. A large number of GDA leaders and workers participated in the demonstration.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2024