News Desk |
Entire Pakistan swept with the slogans of freedom of Kashmir as thousands of people flocked to the streets to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris on the call of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to mark ‘Kashmir Hour’ on Friday. Massive gatherings in various cities herald the public’s unwavering support for PM Khan’s call for ‘Kashmir Hour’.
Streets Flooded with Protestors
Social media flourished with images and videos of people demonstrating against the vicious Modi-led government. From school children to the elderly, Pakistanis showed immense strength for freedom of the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Symbolic gesture all over Pakistan during #KashmirHour
The world should know; Kashmir is not just a territorial issue between Pakistan & India. It is an issue of Human Rights. And that is why the whole world must intervene. Let Kashmiris know, they’re not alone! pic.twitter.com/esF8woBJKd
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
Chitral comes out to show that Indian aggression will not be tolerated in Kashmir anymore. We stand with Kashmiris!#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/OnAc6U6XUr
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
Wowww incredible crowd. Thank you Pakistan, thank you Islamabad for being so beautiful and welcoming #KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/ra0HhwABNP
— Survivor (@Wasim_wazir) August 30, 2019
The real movement has started! #KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/JimEoSjfeE
— Rana Fahad (@amranafahad) August 30, 2019
School children in Islamabad in front of parliament house raise slogans in support of people of #Kashmir and demand freedom for Kashmir #KashmirHour #StandwithKashmir pic.twitter.com/sjSLkkoEJY
— Imran Ghazali | #DigitalStrategy (@ImranGhazaliPK) August 30, 2019
Prime Minister’s Address
The Federal capital Islamabad was the epicenter of protests, as a mammoth of protesters reached prime minister’s secretariat carrying the flags of Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed the demonstrators along with senior government officials at the gates, which were opened for the first time to the public.
Masses were instructed to remain out of their houses, office buildings, markets/malls and gather in a nearby street. It also urged people to hold maximum numbers of AJK flags in the protest.
Prime Minister addressed the demonstrators at PM office, asserting that Pakistan’s messages cannot be reached to the people of occupied Kashmir due to a complete communication blackout but will reach Delhi, a message clearly displaying that Pakistan will NOT back down from the Kashmir cause, urged Prime Minister Imran Khan. He added that there is a need to comprehend the ideology of RSS-backed BJP administration, which is currently ruling Delhi. People diligently listened to PM’s speech while standing in solidarity with Kashmiris. He thanked the people for showing their overwhelming support to his call of ‘Kashmir Hour’.
People during the #KashmirHour at PMO. Pakistan’s message can’t reach Kashmir as of now due to the blackout, but the message must have surely reached Delhi; Pakistan will NOT back down from the Kashmir cause. pic.twitter.com/7eqGeShoaN
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
He announced that the government of Pakistan will outreach acclaimed international celebrities who are champions of human rights, to raise their voice for Kashmiris and those who are under siege since the month. He promised that Pakistan will give a befitting response to India over the Kashmir issue and that he firmly believes PM Modi’s annexation for Jammu Kashmir has paved the way for the freedom of Kashmir.
PM #ImranKhan addresses the nation, thanking all those who came out to protest for #Kashmir, and warned that this is the end for #Modi’s fascism against the region.#KashmirHour #SaveKashmir pic.twitter.com/ecM8koNNMq
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) August 30, 2019
Historic scenes from PM secretariat. It takes a leader to unite a nation; & today Pakistan stands united, in solidarity with Kashmir. A leader who is not fighting for territory, rather an ambassador for the freedom of the Kashmiris from Modi’s Nazi like brute force.#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/0hLAms5I7m
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
People from all walks of life participated in the protest including media organizations, celebrities, sports figures, private enterprises, and state departments. Important public spots in various cities, including Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum and Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi, D-chowk Islamabad, Punjab University and DHA in Lahore catered a large number of protesters.
#KashmirHour protest at Y Block, Lahore pic.twitter.com/SjdrWVw8OH
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) August 30, 2019
#KashmirHour protest at Blue Area, Islamabad pic.twitter.com/xXLo32YdZi
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) August 30, 2019
Thousands gather in the capital #Islamabad and across #Pakistan on Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI 's call to show solidarity with people of #Kashmir
What a brilliant idea this #KashmirHour was!
Very loud message from people of Pakistan to the world #PakistanStandsWithKashmir pic.twitter.com/Il789xoZIq
— Imran Ghazali | #DigitalStrategy (@ImranGhazaliPK) August 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/MunazaHassan/status/1167355952984727552?s=20
Kashmir solidarity march at NED University of Engineering & Technology.
We are with you Kashmir. #PakistanStandsWithKashmir #kashmirhour #KashmirkoHaqDo pic.twitter.com/zPCjTshDdI— Misha (@MishaWasim) August 30, 2019
No matter what anyone says, I'm happy ppl went out to show solidarity with besieged Kashmiris. These grandmothers, a few of them Kashmiris themselves, led the way at Lalik Chowk (got photo from my boss). Sincerity of emotions is always better than hollow cynicism. #KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/OWPTkv28nt
— Containeristan (@guldaar) August 30, 2019
Incredible scenes at Shahrah e Faisal#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/crZeIyIQdy
— Ahmer Khan 🇵🇰 ✪ (@StellarTweeting) August 30, 2019
TCS Head Office team#KashmirHour#NikloKashmirKiKhatir pic.twitter.com/VkpShhidra
— Adeel Azhar (@adeel_azhar) August 30, 2019
#KashmirHour Model Town Lahore
School Education Department @SchoolEduPunjab @DrMuradPTI pic.twitter.com/SqwXnTcyBR
— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) August 30, 2019
#KashmirHour officially begins. Students and faculty in Punjab University comes out to stand in solidarity with Kashmiris against the massive human rights violations by Modi govt. Pakistanis recognize the right to self-determination of Kashmiris! pic.twitter.com/505KzPdySc
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
Parliamentarians come out to stand beside their Kashmiri brethren in this difficult time! The message is loud and clear : say no to Atrocities #KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/uKR3Pp5r1n
— Women's Parliamentary Caucus Pakistan (@wpc_pak) August 30, 2019
CM KPK @IMMahmoodKhan leads Kashmir hour rally in Peshawar today! #KashmirHourhttps://t.co/0yWUyenGcg
— PTI North Punjab (@PtiNorthPunjab) August 30, 2019
Social Media
Those who couldn’t come out on the streets used their social media platforms to provide their support to the Kashmir issue. Kashmir has hooked Twitter with various social media hashtags, including #KashmirHour, #ImranKhan, #NikloKashmirKiKhatir, #SaveKashmir, trending heavily on social media.
Even Pakistan People’s Party leader Bilawal Bhutto also tweeted during ‘Kashmir Hour.’
https://twitter.com/fcukyuow/status/1167341008616599553?s=20
Pakistan's PM Imran Khan says country would respond if India attacks, as tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours escalate over disputed Kashmir#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/oBMwjOG4sR
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 30, 2019
Notification on Kashmir Hour
Kashmir Hour is part of the coherent national mobilising campaign aimed at highlighting the Kashmir issue vigorously. Kashmir Hour, which spanned for half an hour, commenced with the playing of the national anthem of Pakistan and Kashmir across the country on all TV, FM and Radio channels.
It also instructed the PM and Chief Ministers of the provinces to gather with parliamentarians outside their respective offices. Masses were instructed to remain out of their houses, office buildings, markets/malls and gather in a nearby street. It also urged people to hold maximum numbers of AJK flags in the protest. The government also planned the aerial coverage of the protests through drones and helicopters. The celebrities, politicians and other notable figures were expected to tweet their message for Kashmir and urged people to join them for protests.
Read more: GVS Exclusive: Kashmir Solidarity Hour: How do experts view its implications?
Several celebrities including Shahid Afridi, Mahira Khan, Bilal Ashraf, Shaan, Humayun Saeed, Veena Malik, Faysal Qureshi, Hamza Ali Abbasi, and others urged fans to step into the streets for Kashmir Cause. The other activities included congregational prayers for the freedom of Kashmir after Jumma prayers.
#KashmirHour protest by @SAfridiOfficial pic.twitter.com/VODMP2OCHZ
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) August 30, 2019
#KashmirHour
Lal Haveli pic.twitter.com/lvWYv7ZO5W— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) August 30, 2019
The #KashmirHour protest has so far been peaceful and time-bound. The conversation worth having is whether there are more effective alternatives.
For those reflexively tearing it down, maybe also notice an occupation that's now abducting kids and using electric shock torture.
— Asad Rahim Khan (@AsadRahim) August 30, 2019
Kashmiris are enslaved in their own homes & fascist Modi is using every tactic to ensure that their voice does not reach the world. Here is a loud & clear message to India that 220 million Pakistanis will be the voice of Kashmiris & fight for them at every forum.#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/Cb2pCmeQ2x
— Abdul Aleem Khan (@abdul_aleemkhan) August 30, 2019
Kashmir main zulm – ab aur nahi!! A nation is out on the roads for Kashmir against Indian atrocities #PakistanStandsWithKashmir #KashmirHour #KashmirBleeds @ovaismangalwala pic.twitter.com/l0RURlT86h
— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) August 30, 2019
Pakistanis join and march outside Hum News HQ in Islamabad for #KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/32Zt8lEezt
— HUM News (@humnewspakistan) August 30, 2019
Sportmens and women, @TheRealPCB staff stand in solidarity with Kashmiris. Youth in Kashmir also deserves education, sports and chance to prove their mettle; not a blind future due to pellet gunshots!#KashmirHour pic.twitter.com/zIoy7IcyGu
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2019
In support of #KashmirSolidarity – thousands came out in support for Kashmiris' right to self-determination. pic.twitter.com/Xw0jycsA6E
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) August 30, 2019
Staunch countrywide support is necessary for the government of Pakistan to challenge and fight India internationally; the relations between India and Pakistan has significantly damaged following India’s revoking of the special status of Jammu Kashmir.
Progress on the Kashmir Issue
Pakistanis from all over the world marked India’s Independence Day as a Black Day on 15th August globally. Massive protests erupted in London, UK and other countries in a bid to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Pakistan has also raised the matter at the United Nations which led to a closed-door meeting on the issue. Moreover, PM Khan is reaching out to his counterparts in several countries to discuss and brief them about India’s ongoing atrocities in the valley.