National Day of Kashmir celebrated

Kashmiri flag raising at Rochdale Town Hall

The Kashmiri flag was hoisted at Rochdale Town Hall on 24 October, marking the National Day of Kashmir.

Javid Akhtar, the chairperson of Rochdale Kashmiri Association, which organises the event, was pleased to report that the day was still marked by raising the flag at Rochdale Town Hall, 'even without our usual ceremony'.

He continued: “Although things in the UK are difficult because of the coronavirus outbreak, things are even more difficult in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The information blackout means that many of the human rights violations are unseen or ignored and it seems that the media, and human rights organisations are turning a blind eye to what is happening.”

Last year, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to revoke Article 370, a clause in the country's constitution that grants Kashmir special status and allows it to pass its own laws. Since then, there have been widespread reports of state-imposed curfews, banned protests, unlawful detentions and communication blackouts, despite a partial easing in early 2020.
 

Read more: Government pressed on Kashmir crisis by local MP and MEPPublished: 11 September 2019

Kingsway councillor Shakil Ahmed added: “Even though we could not have our usual celebration this year let’s hope and pray that by this time next year things will be better and we will again be able to meet together.”

The National Day of Kashmir is celebrated on 24 October after the government of Azad Kashmir was established on this date in 1947.