Kashmiris defy restrictions to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day in IIOJK

SRINAGAR: Kashmiris have taken to streets and fired firecrackers in Srinagar and many other place across the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to commemorate the Independence Day of Pakistan today.

The Kashmiri people including youth came on the streets across the occupied valley came out of their houses after defying restrictions imposed by the occupation forces in IIOJK in order to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day.

According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the people on the occasion raised slogans like “We are Pakistanis, Pakistan is ours”, “Long live Pakistan” and “We want freedom”.

It is pertinent to mention here that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) asked the Kashmiri people to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day as Thanksgiving Day, today.

Moreover, Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over will observe the Indian Independence Day on Saturday as ‘Black Day’ to convey the message to the international community that India continues to deny them their inalienable right to self-determination.

The day will b marked with a complete shutdown in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir call for which has been given by the veteran Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Gilani, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Hurriyat forum and supported by almost all Hurriyat leaders and organizations. The Kashmiris across the world will hold anti-India demonstration in from of Indian embassies to draw the world attention towards the Indian brutalities in the occupied territory.

Earlier in the day, President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi conferred Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil award, on noted Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani in recognition of his decades-long struggle for Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

A Hurriyat leader received the award from the president on Geelani’s behalf at an investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, following hoisting of the national flag to mark the Independence Day of Pakistan.

First Lady Samina Alvi, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, federal ministers and services chiefs attended the ceremony.