Nation to observe 'Kashmir Hour' today

National Anthem and the anthem of Kashmir will be sung, traffic will be halted and sirens will blare

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The entire nation will observe ‘Kashmir Hour’ at 12:00noon today (Friday) in line with the government’s announcement to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people in the wake of India’s unprecedented lockdown, human rights’ violations and atrocities in the disputed Himalayan region.

The National Anthem and the anthem of Kashmir will be sung, traffic will be halted and sirens will blare to mark the Kashmir Hour from between 12pm-12:30pm.

All deputy commissioners of the country have been directed to formulate a comprehensive plan for staging demonstrations against Modi-led Hindu nationalist Indian government’s illegal actions and gross violations of human rights in Kashmir.

Furthermore, local political leaders in their respective constituencies will lead protest rallies. Students and civil society have been appealed to participate in the demonstrations.

In this regard, effective measures are being taken for another big event on the Defence Day (Sept 6). The next meeting under PM Khan is expected to finalise the plan for that day.

On Wednesday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan asserted that the Pakistani nation would give the entire world a strong message by expressing support to oppressed people of the occupied valley.

She appealed to every segment of the society to come out and demonstrate unity with the Kashmiris.

The special assistant said the general public of Pakistan would come out of their houses, work places, and educational institutions at that time.

She said the PM would lead the demonstration in front of the PM’s office, and the provincial chief ministers and the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan would also lead demonstrations in their respective areas.

Dr Awan added Modi was destroying world’s peace through perpetrating genocide of the innocent people of occupied Kashmir.

“Modi is instilling hatred in the region by committing injustice and atrocities,” she outlined.

While addressing the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that an event will be held every week to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people, starting this Friday.

"They (India) have played their trump card, they don’t have any card to play now. Now whatever needs to be done will be done by us and the world," he had said, as he took the nation into confidence on the government’s strategy regarding Indian-occupied Kashmir.

He said Pakistan’s Kashmir policy was at a decisive point and he had apprised the world leaders about the plight of the eight million Kashmiri people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the upcoming Defence Day, he said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will meet the families of the martyrs and ghazis (victorious), while ceremonies will be held across the country.

He said the slogan “Kashmir banay ga Pakistan (Kashmir will be made a part of Pakistan)” will be featured in the day’s events. The main event at GHQ will not take place in the evening this year; instead, it will take place in the daytime.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran will also address the UN General Assembly on Sept 27 to highlight Indian atrocities in ocucpied Kashmir.