Dubai: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the entire nation to stand for 30 minutes on Friday to show solidarity with kashmiri people against the Indian government’s decision to revoke special autononmus status of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Radio Pakistan, "all the people and vehicles will come to a standstill" when the national anthems are played.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and chief ministers along with parliamentarians will lead the nation by coming in front of their respective secretariats and office buildings, said Radio Pakistan, adding special prayers for the people of Kashmir would be offered after Friday prayers
During his televised address to the nation early this week, Imran had announced that weekly events would be held to express solidarity with Kashmiris. Imran wants the entire nation to come out on Friday between 12 noon to 12.30 and stand to register their protest against the Indian government.
“I want all Pakistanis to come out tomorrow 12 noon to 12.30 pm to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people and send the Kashmiris in IOK a clear message that the entire Pakistani nation stands in solidarity with them & against Indian fascist oppression, the inhumane 24-day curfew,” Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted.
In the second tweet, he says: “The daily injuring & killing of Kashmiri civilians, incl women & children - all part of the ethnic cleansing agenda of the Modi Govt. & it’s illegal annexation of IOK. The plan to change demography of IOK is a war crime under 4th Geneva Convention.”
His third tweet reads: “We must send a strong message to Kashmiris that our nation stands resolutely behind them. So I am asking all Pakistanis for half an hour tomorrow stop whatever you are doing & come out on the road to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people.”
In his televised address to the nation, the Pakistani prime minister had said the whole nation and its government would go to the last extent to support the Kashmiris.
“We will go to every extent will stand with the Kashmiris till the last breath,” he said, adding “I ask every Pakistani to come out of their homes, offices, workplaces every week for half an hour and on the upcoming Friday from 1200 noon to 1230, to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.”
Imran said that he would raise the Kashmir issue during the UN General Assembly on September 27 and meet world leaders in New York.
“First, I believe, the entire nation should stand with the Kashmiri ‘awam’. I have said this that I will act as Kashmir’s ambassador. I will raise the issue with heads of state and international media. I will tell them that this (Modi) is not an ordinary government but one which follows a dangerous ideology,” he said.
On August 5, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped Kashmiris of the constitutional rights they had for seven decades through a presidential order. An indefinite curfew was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir and elected leaders were put under house arrest.
By repealing Article 370 of the Indian constitution, people from the rest of India will now have the right to acquire property in Kashmir and settle there permanently. Kashmiris as well as critics of India’s Hindu nationalist-led government see the move as an attempt to dilute the demographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir with Hindu settlers.
