PESHAWAR: The government departments, political parties and civil society organisations held events, rallies and corner meetings across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday to express solidarity with the people of the India-held Kashmir in their struggle for realising their inalienable right to self-determination under the UN resolutions.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan led a rally in the provincial capital, where a large number of schoolchildren, elected representatives, political activists and government functionaries were present. The rally started from the chief minister’s secretariat and ended at the Governor’s House.

Governor Shah Farman participated in a Kashmir rally in Islamabad.

The participants chanted slogans against the Indian government and in support of Kashimiri people’s struggle for right to self-determination.

On the occasion, Mahmood Khan termed the Narendra Modi-led government as a fascist regime and said the Indian security forces had been committing worst oppression in the occupied Kashmir.

He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan would continue to extend political and diplomatic support to the oppressed Kashmiris.

CM Mahmood leads rally in Peshawar, calls for dispute settlement under UN resolutions

The CM urged the United Nations to take notice of the atrocities on the Kashmiri people and play due role in ensuring that the valley people got their birthright. He said durable peace in the region was linked to resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Mahmood Khan said the right to self-determination and independence was the basic right of Kashmiris. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had raised the issue of Kashmir in the UN General Assembly very effectively, and added the present government would continue to raise it at all international forums.

Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl also arranged rallies to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

The JI rally on the GT Road was led by its former provincial chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim Khan. The participants vowed to continue supporting the Kashmiris’ struggle for liberation.

The JUI-F workers took out a procession from its provincial secretariat and converged on the Ring Road.

JUI-F leaders, including Abdul Jalil Jan, Asif Iqbal Daudzai, Khalid Waqar Chamkani and Maulana Attaul Haq Darvesh highlighted the relentless struggle of Kashmiris for freedom.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid organised a rally at Nauthia led by its provincial spokesman Safdar Baghi, and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers held processions at different places.

The Pakistan Peoples Party, Peshawar city chapter organised a rally led by Zulfiqar Afghani and Malik Nadeem.

Another rally was taken out under Interfaith Religions Organisation led by MPA Wazirzada.

Also, the Pakistan Citizens Organisation, the Peshawar police, the trade unions, the district government and National Youth Organisation also held events.

National Highways & Motorway Police arranged a walk in this connection. The organisers had set up a stall with gift hampers, Pakistan and Kashmiri flags, pamphlets, caps, toys, sweets and candies to be distributed among commuters.

Separately, a jeep race was organised at the Hund Point of the Indus River in Swabi district to express solidarity with the Kashmiris.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KP-CTA), and the sports, tourism, archaeology, culture, museums and youth affairs department and the Frontier 4x4 Club jointly organised the event.

Secretary tourism department Mohammad Abid Majeed was the chief guest.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association in collaboration with the directorate of sports also organised a Kashmir Day cycle race.

A rally was also held in Upper Chitral attended by officials of various departments, traders, students and teachers.

Rallies, public meetings and sports events were also observed in Malakand, Charsadda, Kohat, Swabi, Mansehra, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mardan, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Bajaur, Mohmand, Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Battagram and other districts.

Elsewhere, rallies were taken out in Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang and Ghanche districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Students, civil society members and people from different walks of life participated.

Main function of the day was held at the Ethad Chowk Gilgit, where GB Senior Minister Ubaidullah Baig, minister for finance Javed Ali Manwa, members of the GB Assembly, government officials, traders, political parties’ leaders and students participated.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2021