Thousands form human chain in capital to show solidarity with Kashmiris

ISLAMABAD: Thousands of the people turned up on Friday to form a human chain, stretched across the Constitution Avenue to express solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir, living under curfew for the last over two months.

On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call, the workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), students from various educational institutions, government employees and people from cross sections of society, gathered in the Federal Capital to convey a clear message to Indian government that the whole of Pakistani nation stood by their Kashmiri brethren.

The flags of Pakistan and Kashmir were fluttering across the Constitution Avenue with the national songs, being played loudly.

The people waved the flags and chanted slogans “Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan” and “Long Live Pakistan.

” The event is in continuation of the government''s decision to observe each Friday as a day of solidarity with the people of Kashmir.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, who proudly calls himself as the ''Ambassador of Kashmir'' led the human chain activity which was also attended by President Dr Arif Alvi, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani and federal ministers and the PTI leaders from across the country.

“We are here to give convey a message to the Kashmir people that whole of the Pakistani nation stands by them and will keep up this,” the prime minister said addressing the participants of the human chain at Prime Minister’s Office where across the road is located the Diplomatic Enclave housing most of the foreign embassies and missions.

The prime minister, who had widely criticized the international community''s response to the human rights situation in IOK during his interaction with US leadership and think-tanks during his recent visit to New York, now targeted the international media for not highlighting the Kashmir issue to its real severity.

Instead of highlighting the Indian oppression in a disputed territory of Kashmir, he said, the international media was giving far more space to the protests in Hong Kong which was part of China.

He told the gathering that India had committed a blunder by revoking Article 370 of Indian Constitution.

“Narendra Modi has played his last card.

He thinks that Kashmiris would accept this change easily.

(Rather) Once the curfew is lifted, hundreds or thousands of Kashmiris will take to streets,” he remarked.

The prime minister said around 100,000 people had been killed during last 30 years and the Kashmir people had done away with fear of death.