Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called for the observance of August 5 as Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir, or Black Day, across Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The call urges local citizens, businesses, and various sectors to mark the anniversary of the 2019 revocation of Article 370, which had granted the region special status.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the revocation occurred under a Hindutva-inspired policy by the Indian government, leading to significant military and police actions in the region. APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rahid Minhas emphasized the need for widespread participation in the observance, aiming to highlight ongoing demands for the reversal of the 2019 decisions, the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations resolutions, the release of political detainees, and an end to alleged human rights abuses by Indian forces.
The statement from the APHC recalled October 27, 1947, as the date of India’s initial incursion into Jammu and Kashmir, describing subsequent actions, including the 2019 repeal of special status, as violations of UN resolutions. The APHC has also called on international human rights bodies to visit the region to independently assess conditions, including reports of massacres, disappearances, and other alleged injustices.
Advocate Minhas highlighted ongoing detentions and arrests of Kashmiris, asserting that these actions are part of a vindictive strategy by the Indian authorities to suppress the Kashmiri pursuit of self-determination, facilitated by stringent laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).