SRINAGAR, Leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) emphasize that since 1947, when India took control of Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmiri people have been subjected to oppressive measures. They argue that India’s approach has not only been forceful but also involved a series of tactics aimed at suppressing the Kashmiri voice and altering the demographic profile of the territory.

According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, prominent APHC leaders, including Molvi Bashir Irfani, Syed Bashir Andrabi, Mohammed Yasin Attai, Khawaja Firdous, and others, issued statements in Srinagar. They highlighted that India’s entry into Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947, went against the desires of the Kashmiri population. The leaders asserted that India has employed severe measures throughout the years to curtail the Kashmiri freedom movement. One such method, they claim, is an attempt to change the demographic dynamics of the region, aiming to reduce the Muslim majority.

Contrary to the perception that the Kashmir issue is merely a territorial conflict between India and Pakistan, the leaders underscored that it’s fundamentally about the destiny of the Kashmiri people. They lamented that the inhabitants of the occupied region have been confronting state-backed aggression for voicing their internationally recognized right to self-determination.

To convey their staunch opposition to India’s occupation, the APHC leaders announced that Kashmiris globally will observe October 27 as “Black Day.” They stressed their unwavering commitment to a peaceful struggle until the Kashmiri people are granted their right to self-determination.