KARACHI: Several rallies were taken out in the city on the occasion of Kashmir Day on Monday. Besides a rally held by the Karachi metropolitan administration where city mayor Waseem Akhtar was also present, the city also witnessed gatherings held by political and religious parties, including Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an umbrella body of religious outfits including proscribed outfits like Jamaatud Dawa and known sympathisers of Taliban like Samiul Haq of Jamiat Ulema Islam-S. A large number of Kashmiri migrants settled in the metropolitan centre also attended rallies where they expressed solidarity with those struggling for their right to self-determination in Indian-held Kashmir and called upon the international community to push India to abide by United Nations (UN) resolution on the issue. A minute-long silence was observed to pay homage to martyrs of Kashmir and special prayers were offered at mosques for the success of liberation movement. Different documentaries on the decades-old Kashmiri struggle were shown in seminars. Political Party leaders and other speakers at these events vowed to continue moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the city government’s rally, Karachi mayor Akhtar said Pakistanis stood side by side with their Kashmiris brothers and sisters. “We are observing this day to pay tribute to Kashmiris who are struggling for 70 years. Their sacrifices will never go to waste,” he said. Other speakers said that for Pakistanis every day was Kashmir Solidarity Day. The participants included lawyers, traders and student leaders. DPC’s rally started from Safari Park on Kashmir Road. The rally ended with a convention where speakers addressed the participants. JuD activists were led to the rally by the Karachi convener. Special cultural programmes and festivals also took place to promote Kashmiri culture and tradition while photograph exhibitions were arranged to showcase atrocities committed by Indian occupation forces against Kashmiris. Ceremonies were held at major universities of the city including the University of Karachi. Speakers at seminars told students that Kashmir was an unfinished agenda of Indian Partition, urging them to use various international platforms to raise awareness about the issue so that the international community could be made to see Indian atrocities and act against them. In his message, Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair remarked that the hearts of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir beat together due to their unanimity in terms of religion, beliefs, culture and traditions. He said that the right to self-determination of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir needed to be urgently accepted so as to help restore peace in the region. Reiterating that Pakistan and its people would always stand behind the people of Kashmir, Zubair urged the international community to take notice of atrocities committed by Indian army in IOK and help implementation of UN resolutions that call for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. In his statement on the occasion, Pak Sarzameen Party chairman Mustafa Kamal said, “It is a travesty that he United Nations has been unable to implement its resolution to resolve issue. The issue must be resolved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Self-determination is the right of people of Kashmir,” Kamal said, while speaking to media persons at Pakistan House. “India was cruelly killing Kashmiri youth in the occupied valley, making hundreds of Kashmiris dispossessed,” he said, adding that Indian brutalities could not weaken the resolve of Kashmiris even after all these years. The PSP chairman urged the youth to spread the message of Kashmiris on social media and raise awareness about the issue. “Kashmiris have offered unmatched sacrifices for winning freedom from Indian command. Their struggle will definitely show the color of success in coming time.” Published in Daily Times, February 6th 2018.