Solidarity protests, calls for freedom mark Kashmir Day across Europe, UK
London: The brimming global anti-colonial movement saw Monday solidarity protests and calls for freedom for Kashmir from India widespread across Europe and the United Kingdom (UK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, led by the Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK and Europe, marches, car rallies, protests and conferences were held in Barcelona, Spain; Oslo, Norway; Brescia, Italy; Birmingham, Glasgow, Scotland, Luton, Nottingham, UK; and various cities of Europe to mark the annual Kashmir Solidarity Day.
The day has been held annually since the early 1990s, at the initiative of renowned Pakistani leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad, to reiterate and renew support to the popular struggle for right to self-determination of Kashmiris.
Lawmakers, human rights activists and lawyers participated in the demonstrations, expressing their solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“This is the right time to get freedom for Kashmir as there is global awakening regarding anti-colonial movements,” said Fahim Kayani, leader of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK.
In a joint statement, leadership of Tehreek-e-Kashmir chapters across Europe decried the silence of the international community over Kashmir.
“The silence of the so-called flag bearers of rule of law are complicit in the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir,” said the statement.
This year, Kashmir Solidarity Day is being commemorated when anti-colonial movements have taken a global shape with demonstrations taking place from north to south and east to west across the globe.
The statement called on the UN and human rights organizations to keep pressing for implementation of UN resolutions and international law on Kashmir.
“India has enforced a graveyard silence on Kashmir by abducting and illegally imprisoning tens of hundreds of Kashmiris in the occupied territory as well as in jails across India,” said the Kashmiri Diaspora leadership, warning that New Delhi was fast tracking its demographic terrorism in the UN designated disputed territory.
“If the UN does not wake up and the proponents of the so-called rule of law continue to give India an easy pass, the situation in Kashmir can trigger a war that will have consequences beyond the region,” the statement added.
Muhammad Ghalib, President, Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe, Raja Shafiq Tabasam, President TeK, Spain; Chaudhry Babar Warriach, President, TeK, Italy; Shah Hussain Kazmi, President, TeK, Norway; Chaudhry Saqib Tahir, President, Pak Federation, Spain; Mehmood Sharif, Senior Vice President, TeK Europe; Mian Tayyib General Secretary, TeK, Europe; Rafaqat Ali, General Secretary, TeK, Norway; Syed Tufail Hussain Shah, Patron-in-Chief, TeK, UK, Shaukat Sultan, General Secretary, TeK, Scotland; Chaudhry Sharif Senior, Vice President, TeK, UK; Chaudhry Ikram ul Haq, President TeK, Birmingham; Chaudhry Ramzan, President, TeK, Luton; Raja Nadeem, President, Kashmir Council, Spain; Shoaib Abbasi, President, TeK, Nottingham and Raja Wasim, General Secretary, TeK, Italy attended and addressed the programmes, conferences and rallies.
