Staff Reporter
Tens of thousands of Karachities on Wednesday formed a 20km-long human chain to express solidarity with the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The activity was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day, being observed since 1990. The idea to observe the day on February 5 was introduced by the then Emir of JI Late QaziHussain Ahmed. JI Pakistan chief Senator SirajulHaq visited various points of the chain on Shahra-e-Faisal. The chain was commenced at the start of Shahra-e-Faisal near Awari Towers and culminated at Quaidabad. A large number of people, including women and children, from all walks of life participated in the chain. This year the solidarity day was observed at a time when the entire population of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir has practically been locked down since August last year when the extremist Indian government had revoked the special status for the territory in violation of international treaty. Although the move drew international condemnation, no practical step was taken to force the Indian government to reverse the move. Addressing the participants of the activity, the JI chief said that the human chain delivers a message to the global community that in order to avoid a nuclear war in the region and for a durable peace, they will have to force the Indian government to provide the due right to live and the right to self-determination to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “The people are demanding the United Nations to ensure plebiscite, under its own resolutions, for the oppressed people in occupied Kashmir,” he said, adding that the people of occupied Kashmir have the right to freedom from the unjust occupation of India and to join Pakistan. He said that the human chain also depicts the resolve of Pakistani people that they stand united in solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren against brutalities on the part of Indian security forces. Lambasting the ruling regime in Pakistan over their inability to take apt action for liberation of occupied Kashmir, the JI chief said, “I want to tell the rulers of Pakistan that they have been delivering useless speeches for the last 72 years.
