Students in AJK express solidarity with their fellow students in Indian Occupied Kashmir. PHOTO: EXPRESS

MUZAFFARABAD: Hundreds of students from government and private educational institutions across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) took to the streets on Wednesday to express their solidarity with their fellow students in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).



Separately, a large number of government employees and workers from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in AJK also took to the roads to protest over the critical situation in IoK.



The students, who were carrying flags of AJK and Pakistan, shouted slogans against the Indian atrocities, the illegal rule in IoK. The also raised slogans in favour of Kashmiris liberation struggle. “When I heard and saw Indian forces use pellet guns to crush the ongoing liberation struggle in IoK following the martyrdom of Burhan Wani, I told our teachers to arrange a protest,” said Haris Ahmad, a graduate student at the Government College in Muzaffarabad.



“Now we are here in Burhan Wani Shaheed Chowk to send a message to our fellow school and college going brothers and sisters in IOK, that they are not alone in their struggle for freedom,” he added. Rabia Mushtaq, another student who was participating in the protest and holding aloft the Azad Jammu and Kashmir flag, said that the recent attack by Indian security forces on students of the Pulwama and Women College in Srinagar was an example of state terrorism.



“I have never seen a female student being mercilessly beaten by Indian troops in the streets of Srinagar. Hence, I am here to condemn the use of force against students of IoK,” said Sidra Tahir, another protesting student.



During the protests. speakers said that they will continue to support the Kashmiris’ right of self-determination.



AJK PM condemns attacks on students



Earlier, AJK Prime Minister AJK Farooq Haider said that beating students in the streets of IoK was the worst example of Indian state terrorism.



He urged global human rights bodies to take notice of the brutalities.



Prime Minister Haider added that they would soon organise an international conference on Kashmir in Muzaffarabad where they would highlight human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in IoK.



Meanwhile, representatives of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) AJK chapter appreciated the people of AJK for coming out onto the roads to express their solidarity with the people of IoK.



A number of anti-India protests were also taken out by students in other cities of AJK.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2017.