A large protest took place in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, opposing the third phase of the so-called elections in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Organized by Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir at the Old Secretariat, the demonstration attracted a large number of local citizens. The event was led by Pasban-e-Hurriyat Chairman Uzair Ahmed Ghazali. During the protest, participants raised slogans condemning the sham elections and the ongoing occupation of Kashmir. Protesters waved black flags and carried banners declaring, “No Elections, but a Referendum,” to express their dissent. Speakers at the event argued that elections held under the shadow of heavy military presence in the territory are nothing more than a deception.
They emphasized that these elections cannot replace the Kashmiri people's inalienable right to self-determination. Additionally, the speakers criticized the Modi government for imprisoning political opponents in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and imposing these fraudulent elections on the populace. They called on the Modi government to demonstrate courage by fulfilling New Delhi’s commitment to conduct a free referendum under international observation in Jammu and Kashmir. The speakers asserted that the primary goal of these so-called elections is to bolster India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK.
Credit: Independent News Pakistan