BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
Lahore
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, provincial ministers, members of the provincial assembly, PTI leaders, workers and a large number of citizens expressed complete solidarity with the Kashmiris at a public gathering held at Faisal Chowk on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday. Thousands of people lodged a strong protest against Indian brutalities. People held flags of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and chanted slogans of ‘long live Pakistan’ and ‘Kashmir will become Pakistan.’ On this occasion, anthems of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir were also aired. Later, the siren was blared and one minute silence was observed. Khateeb Bashahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad led a special prayer for the success of the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people and end to Indian occupation.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed by the whole nation and added that the purpose of celebrating this day is to show Indian wicked face to the world. 185 days have been passed to the continued lockdown of Indian armed forces in Occupied Kashmir and the whole of Pakistan is agitating against this brutality, he added.
He regretted that India, which claims to be the biggest democracy in the world, blatantly violated all democratic norms in Occupied Kashmir. India badly demeaned its democratic and secular identity by abrogating articles 35A and 370 of the Indian constitution, he added. The nation has given a strong message to the world that Pakistan firmly stands with the Kashmiris. Pakistan and Kashmir are siamese twins and this peaceful agitation is writing on the wall for the Modi government, he added. Usman Buzdar said that victory will be the fate of the Kashmiris. Prime Minister Imran Khan fought the case of Kashmir with absolute courage and no other leader fought this case as like Imran khan who raised a strong voice in support of the Kashmiris. He said that Quaid-e-Azam termed Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan and we cannot deviate from the Kashmir cause. Pakistan will always be standing with the Kashmiris and all-out support will be continued, added Usman Buzdar. The chief minister emphasized that Kashmiris will succeed in their just struggle very soon adding that Pakistanis’ hearts beat in unison with their Kashmiri brethren. Lahore has a special relation with Kashmir and the strong relationship between Pakistan and Kashmir is unbreakable, concluded the chief minister. President PTI Central Punjab Ejaz Chaudhary, Zaheer Abbas Khokhar and member legislative assembly of Azad Kashmir Ghulam Mohyuddin Dewan also spoke on this occasion.
Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan, MPAs including Uzma Kardaar, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, Sadia Sohail, Nadeem Bara, Mahinder Paal Singh, Chief Secretary, additional chief secretaries, administrative secretaries, PTI leaders including Imtiaz Warraich, Amir Gujjar, Mian Akram Usman, Mehar Wajid, Ejaz Diyal, Shoaib Siddiqui and others were present as well.