SRINAGAR, Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and around the world are observing Jammu Martyrs’ Day today. This day is a solemn reminder of the hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris who were martyred by the forces of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh, the Indian Army, and Hindutva extremists during their migration to Pakistan in the first week of November 1947.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the massacre is remembered as one of the darkest days in Kashmir’s history, marking the first large-scale genocide post-World War II. The day is observed annually to honor the sacrifices of Jammu Muslims and to reaffirm the Kashmiri people’s commitment to their struggle for self-determination.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan, special prayers were offered in mosques for the early liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) from Indian control, and for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and AJK.

The United Peace Alliance in Jammu organized a program to pay tributes to the martyrs. Similarly, leaders from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference paid homage to the Jammu martyrs and called upon the international community to intervene. They urged global actors to take immediate steps to halt the ongoing killings in IIOJK and to resolve the Kashmir dispute in line with the Kashmiris’ wishes and relevant United Nations resolutions.

The observance of Jammu Martyrs’ Day is a powerful expression of the Kashmiri people’s ongoing struggle and their unwavering resolve to achieve their right to self-determination.