Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: As the India’s Republic Day was marked as ‘Black Day’ by Kashmiris in Indian-occupied Kashmir and all over the world, the Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK), International Kashmir Lobby Group organised a protest in the federal capital to highlight the atrocities of Indian occupied forces in Kashmir.

A large number of Kashmiri and Pakistani youth, political parties’ representatives, student unions and civil society members were present, holding placards and banners, demanding freedom for Kashmir and chanted slogans against the illegal occupation of India in Kashmir.

The participants of the protest were of the view that India’s army is involved in extra-judicial killings, illegal detentions and subjecting women and girls to rape. “India has no moral ground to call itself a democracy, while it snatches the basic rights of Kashmiris,” they said.

The YFK called upon India to stop state repression in Kashmir, withdraw the army, stop harassing pro-freedom activists and start creating an environment conducive to the eventual implementation of UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the future of the territory.

Published in Daily Times, January 27^th 2018.