The participants carry flags of Pakistan and AJK, chant slogans against India and in support of Pakistan and Wani.
Kashmiri youths hold flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir at a rally commemorating Burhan Wani. Photo Express
A rally was held in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the martyrdom of Burhan Muzaffar Wani, which was attended by leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), government officials, refugees from Indian-occupied Kashmir as well as a large number of Kashmiri youth.
The death of 21-year-old Wani, a prominent Kashmiri activist, shocked the entire region and brought the long-running conflict in the occupied territory to the forefront of international attention. His martyrdom on July 8, 2016 sparked widespread protests leading to another wave of violence by the Indian occupation forces in the region.
AJK Prime Minister Spokesperson Shaukat Javed Mir, Muzaffarabad Development Authority Chairman Yasir Gilani, APHC leaders, government employees and members of civil society participated in the rally.
The rally began at Burhan Muzaffar Wani Chowk and culminated at Alamdar Chowk.
Read: India cannot erase memory of July 19: APHC leader
The participants carried Pakistani and AJK flags and chanted slogans against India and in support of Pakistan and Wani.
Addressing the gathering, speakers said July 8 was celebrated across the Line of Control (LoC) as a ‘Day of Resistance’ in memory of Wani. They described him as “a symbol of the Kashmir freedom movement”, adding that his struggle continued to inspire Kashmiri youth across the divide.
On the occasion, Mir said that the people of occupied Kashmir remained committed to their struggle for the right to self-determination and supported accession to Pakistan.
He stated that many young people in the territory still follow Wani’s legacy.
Mir lashed out at India for human rights violations in the region, highlighting that more than 97,000 Kashmiris had been killed, 22,000 women widowed and more than 4,000 youth imprisoned over the past 36 years by Indian occupation forces.
Read more: Pakistan refutes India’s claims on Kashmir at UN
The AJK prime minister’s spokesperson further said that APHC leaders, including Shabbir Shah and Yasin Malik, remained in Indian custody and asked New Delhi to release all political detainees and withdraw its forces from the disputed territory.
The speakers also urged the United Nations to implement its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that the people’s right to self-determination is granted.
They also paid tribute to the military and said that the success of Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos (Iron Wall) had enhanced Pakistan’s stature at the international level.
