Islamabad/Rawalpindi-Scores of rallies were taken out in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the call of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s to observe Kashmir Hour on Friday.
Hundreds of students and employees of educational institutions of the capital poured out on roads to observe Kashmir Hour halting all routine activities to express solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir and condemn the Indian forces’ atrocities in the held valley.
Following the government directions all public and private educational institutions and health departments observed the Kashmir Hour with full zeal and enthusiasm.
Major public sector universities of the city including Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), International Islamic University (IIU), Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), National University of Modern Languages (NUML), national University of Science and Technology (NUST) Air University and others held walks to support the Kashmir cause.
Meanwhile, the health ministry departments including Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and National Institute of Health (NIH) also observed the Kashmir Hour, reaffirming the commitment of standing with Kashmiri people in this hour of need.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also expressing solidarity with Kashmiri people stated: “Our thoughts are also with those Kashmiris who have been forcibly disappeared as part of the state crackdown in India-held Kashmir”. The students of ICT educational institutions also held rallies and demonstrations in support of Kashmiri people.
All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA) along with parents and students also held a walk towards National Press Club (NPC) condemning Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and reaffirming the oath of freeing Kashmir from Indian occupation.
NUST in response to the Prime Minister’s call held a walk from the premises of its main campus in Islamabad to the Kashmir Highway.
The participants of the walk denounced the Indian unbridled cruelties against Kashmiris and called upon the world in general and the United Nations in particular to resolve the longstanding issue according to the wishes of Kashmiri people and the United Nations resolution.
Similarly AIOU also took a rally giving message of solidarity to the Kashmiri people for getting freedom from occupation of the Indian extremist forces. President of the International Islamic University in Islamabad (IIUI) Prof. Dr Ahmed bin Yousif Al-Draiweesh delivered Sermon of Jumma on Kashmir at Faisal Masjid. Later a walk was also held at Faisal Masjid campus to express solidarity with Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir.
In Rawalpindi, scores of rallied were taken out across the district on Friday against the barbarianism of Indian forces and to express solidarity with Muslims of Kashmir.
Traffic has also been stopped on all the big and small roads from 12 to 12:30pm in order to give a strong message to world community that Pakistani nation and the government stand with innocent Kashmiris being butchered by the Indian army in occupied Kashmir.
School, college and university students, police officers, officers of district administration, public elected representatives, lawyers, teachers, doctors, paramedics, eunuchs, traders and members of civil society marched on roads while holding national and Kashmiri flags and chanting loud slogans, “Kashmir will become Pakistan soon,”
Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Capt (R) Saqib Zafar, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Chaudhry Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Capt (R) Muhammad Ehsan Tufail, City Police Officer (CPO) Capt (R) Muhammad Faisal Rana, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muhammad Bin Ashraf SSP Special Branch Rawalpindi Khuram Shehzad, DSPs Mirza Yousaf, Tahir Anees, Divisional SPs Syed Ali, Rai Mazhar, Asif Masood, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Chief Minister Inspection Team Head Ijaz Khan Jazzi, MPs Haji Amjad and Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi were among the prominent participants of the rallies.
A big rally was organised outside Commissioner Office to express solidarity with Kashmiris. Commissioner, DC, RPO, CPO and other police officers attended the rally. The participants of rally were carrying placards, banners and Kashmiri flags and chanting slogans against Indian government and in favour of Kashmiris. The most echoed slogan chanted by very charges participants was “Kashmir will become Pakistan soon”.
Addressing the participants, the speakers denounced Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and demanded UN to take notice of bloodshed by poodles of Modi, the Indian Prime Minister.
They said Pakistan national stand with Kashmiris and will never leave them alone. In Pir Merh Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), a rally was also organised against the atrocities of the Indian forces and to express solidarity with Muslims of Kashmir. The rally was led by PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman while a large number of faculty members, staff and students participated in the rally.
The students of Foundation University Islamabad also rallied on GT Road with shouting slogans, “Indians should stop violence in Kashmir”. Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) also organised a solidarity walk from campus to DC Office Rawalpindi, to show solidarity with Kashmiris and condemned the brutalities of Indian armed forces in Indian, walk led by Additional Registrar.
Participants urged the international community to take notice of the gross human rights violations in held Kashmir.