Muzaffarabad: Large rallies were held in Muzaffarabad, Kotli in Azad Kashmir, and Lahore on October 27, known as “Black Day,” to express solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir and protest against India’s long-standing occupation of the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the demonstrations were orchestrated by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell. In Muzaffarabad, Education Minister Diwan Ali Chughtai led the rally where participants, wielding black flags and placards, vocally condemned India’s actions in Kashmir, calling it a terrorist state responsible for the suffering of countless innocent Kashmiris.
The rally in Kotli saw significant turnout from a cross-section of society including migrants, traders, and journalists. Led by prominent local leaders like Sardar Haji Arif and Qazi Imran, the event echoed the sentiments of Muzaffarabad’s protest, with speakers demanding international intervention to allow Kashmiris the right to self-determination.
In Lahore, the protest took place outside the Press Club, drawing a diverse group including politicians, social activists, and students. The Hurriyat Kashmir Center, which organized the Lahore protest, featured speeches that highlighted the ongoing illegal occupation by India since 1947 and the pressing need for global human rights bodies to address the atrocities committed in occupied Kashmir.
These rallies across multiple cities underscore the widespread support for Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination and reflect the communal condemnation of India’s 77-year occupation of the region.