Srinagar: Kashmiris across the Line of Control and worldwide are set to observe January 26, India’s Republic Day, as Black Day. The protest seeks to highlight India’s ongoing denial of the right to self-determination for the people of Kashmir.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and other pro-freedom organizations, including the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, have called for the observance of Black Day. This will be marked by a complete shutdown in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), alongside anti-India rallies and demonstrations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and several world capitals.

The demonstrations aim to convey to the international community that India has no moral or legal justification to celebrate its Republic Day in the occupied territory, given the ongoing denial of fundamental rights to Kashmiris.

In IIOJK, posters from the APHC and other organizations have urged locals to boycott Indian official events and display black flags. These posters have appeared in various locations across the territory over the past week, calling for resistance against Indian occupation.

Masarrat Aalam Butt, the jailed Chairman of APHC, has urged the Kashmiri people from New Delhi’s Tihar jail to mark India’s Republic Day as Black Day. He stated that India’s military presence in Jammu and Kashmir is illegal and violates international law.

“A country that has stripped the people of Jammu and Kashmir of their fundamental rights has no moral ground to celebrate its Republic Day in the territory,” Butt said. He emphasized that India’s occupation is a violation of global norms, and the resistance by Kashmiris will continue.

The protests aim to expose India’s stance and amplify the demand for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, a promise enshrined in numerous UN resolutions. The observance of Black Day highlights the persistent resolve of Kashmiris to seek justice and resist what they perceive as relentless occupation.