Kashmir Solidarity Day 5th February

Kashmir Solidarity Day has been celebrated on 5 February each year since 1990 as a day of protest against Indian control of part of Kashmir. It is a national holiday in Pakistan. The core issue of Kashmir, between India and Pakistan, has led Pakistan to face three wars and have devoted a major portion of their national incomes to defense budgets. World leaders have stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan to avoid an eventuality that may cause a catastrophe in the region. Kashmir is the nuclear flash point of Asia, surrounded by three nuclear powers.

It is incumbent on the international community in general and governing world bodies in particular to intervene and force India to stop shedding innocent Kashmiri blood. Kashmiris should have the right to decide their fate according to the UN resolutions, which were adopted to resolve the issue. Without any doubt, Kashmir is jugular vein of Pakistan and it cannot evidently abandon it under any conditions. With both the South Asian neighbours armed with nuclear weapons, another conventional war on Kashmir has the potential to turn into a nuclear exchange that could be disastrous not only for South Asia but for the world at large.

Kashmir Day in Pakistan

Kashmir Day in Pakistan

 

Kashmir Day or Kashmir Solidarity Day is a public holiday in Pakistan on February 5 each year.

It is a day dedicated to show Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, their ongoing freedom struggle, and to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs who lost their lives fighting for Kashmir’s freedom.

Kashmir Solidarity Day is dedicated to supporting the people of Kashmir and recognizing the freedom struggles in part of the region (view of landscape in Kashmir pictured above). ©iStockphoto.com/photopalace

What Do People Do?

Kashmir Day is observed by people throughout Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). It is an internationally recognized day observed by people, predominantly Kashmiris, worldwide. The day is marked by public processions, special prayers in mosques for the liberation of Kashmir and protests that are carried out against the Indian oppression of Kashmir.

Kashmir Day is also of particular political importance to major political and religious parties in both Pakistan and AJK. Processions, rallies, conferences and seminars are organized by many political and religious parties where politicians, heads of religious organizations, opinion leaders, and influential public figures address the masses and speak to support the Kashmiri freedom movement. These leaders and spokespeople also advocate a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Long marches, and rallies sponsored by political organizations, religious parties and other organizations are held, in which people chant slogans to support the Kashmiri freedom struggle and to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Another common spectacle is the formation of a human chain on all major routes leading to AJK from Pakistan. People stand in rows with their hands clasped forming a human chain on all major crossings into AJK from Pakistan. This symbolizes unity and solidarity to reassure Kashmiris that they are not alone in their struggle for freedom.

Special cultural programs and festivals are also held to promote Kashmiri culture and tradition.  News and entertainment channels air special programs, talk shows, dramas and Kashmiri songs about the oppression and brutalities suffered by Kashmiris over the years. Educational institutions organize debate competitions and dialogue forums where students express their views and ideas for resolving Kashmiri-related issues.

Public Life

Kashmir Day is a public holiday in Pakistan and AJK. Government offices (federal and provincial), banks, educational institutions and businesses remain closed. However, some multinational companies continue normal business activities on this day.

Public transport is available throughout the day, but traffic congestion is common in major cities. Major roads and streets remain blocked because of Kashmir Day parades and processions.

Background

There is a part of Kashmir called Azad Jammu Kashmir (Azad means “Liberated” in Urdu). Many Indians call it Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Officially Pakistan recognizes AJK as a separate state, having its own parliament, head of state and governing institutions.

Kashmir Day was first observed in 1990 on call of Nawaz Sharif, who was the opposition leader and chief minister of Punjab at the time. Sharif appealed for a nationwide strike to protest against the Indian occupation of Kashmir and called for people to pray for the Kashmiri freedom movement’s success. The Pakistan People’s Party then declared February 5 as a public holiday and Kashmir Day has since been observed every year.

Symbols

The Kashmir valley is metaphorically referred to as “heaven on earth”. The valley is shown in modern art as being engulfed by flames, depicting unrest, uproar and peril in heaven. The valley is also shown to be surrounded by a barbed wire drenched in blood. This illustrates human rights violations in Kashmir.

Note: The information in this article is from reliable sources, including from government and news sources. However, timeanddate.com does not take political views on the history behind the events mentioned in this article.

Kashmir Day Observances

Kashmir Solidarity Day

Kashmir Solidarity Day

Kashmir Solidarity Day has been observed on 5 February each year since 1990 in Pakistan as a day of protest against Indian control of part of Kashmir.[1] It is a national holiday in Pakistan.[2] Kashmir Day was first proposed by Qazi Hussain Ahmad of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Pakistan in 1990. Pakistan considers Kashmir as the core issue, between India and Pakistan, leading to three wars and devoting a major portion of their national incomes to defense budgets.[citation needed] World leaders have stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan to avoid an eventuality that may cause a catastrophe in the region. Kashmir is the nuclear flash point of South Asia, surrounded by three nuclear powers.
Purpose

Pakistan and members of the separatist community in Kashmir continue to claim that atrocities are being committed by the Indian state in Kashmir,[citation needed] a claim which India denies, laying a reverse charge on Pakistan for backing insurgency, terrorism and stoking communal passions in the state.[3] In the middle of 2010 there were widespread protests and unrest on the streets of Jammu and Kashmir against the killings of civilians by Indian security forces. The security forces in India and the Indian Army however claimed that the deaths were accidental while trying to control hundreds of protesters out on the street who were pelting stones at the security forces.[citation needed] Nevertheless the protests against the security forces spiraled out of control and within a couple of months more than a 100 civilians had lost their lives. A number of security forces lost their lives too, in the clashes. During the Kashmir uprising in the summer of 2010 which saw scores of protesters killed by Indian security forces and complete shutdown of Kashmir for over a month, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a key separatist leader, said "We want end to Indian occupation here and have already laid out our proposal for initiating a dialogue."[4]

The purpose of Kashmir Solidarity day as per Pakistani view, is to provide sympathetic and political support to the Kashmiri separatists people who they believe are struggling for their freedom from the Indian rule.[citation needed] The parts of Kashmir administered by Pakistan are known as Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Independent Jammu and Kashmir) and Gilgit-Baltistan, while the part administered by India is called Maqbuza Kashmir or "Indian Occupied Kashmir" in Pakistan. The Indians refer to the area under Pakistani administration as "Pakistan Occupied Kashmir" .

Source WIkipedia

Youm-e-Yakjehti-e-Kashmir

Protest against Indian administration of Jammu and Kashmir.