MUZAFFARABAD: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and around the world will observe Black Day on Monday, October 27, to mark the 78th anniversary of India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
The day is aimed at drawing the world’s attention to India’s continued illegal control of the disputed Himalayan territory and the worsening human rights situation in the occupied region.
According to officials, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that a one-minute silence be observed across Pakistan at 10 a.m. on Monday in solidarity with the Kashmiri people and their struggle for the right to self-determination.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), supported by several political and civil society organisations, has called for the observance of Black Day to remind the international community of the need for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Rallies and walks across Pakistan and Kashmir
In Islamabad, a Kashmir Black Day Walk will take place from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to D-Chowk, starting at 9:20 a.m. and reaching the Parliament House Gate by 9:45 a.m.
Officers and staff from the Foreign Office will participate in the march. Sirens will sound before the national silence is observed at 10 a.m. to honour the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people.
Protest rallies, processions, and public gatherings are planned in towns and cities across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Organisers say the events will demonstrate the Kashmiri people’s continued rejection of Indian rule and their demand for freedom.
Historical context
Black Day marks 27 October 1947 — the day Indian troops landed in Srinagar and occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The move violated the Partition Plan of the subcontinent and ignored the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The Indian invasion sparked a conflict that has continued for decades, making Kashmir one of the most militarised regions in the world.
Intensified crackdown since 2019
Rights groups and Kashmiri representatives say the suffering of people in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir has worsened since August 5, 2019, when the Hindu-nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status by abrogating Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution.
The move, followed by strict security lockdowns and communication blackouts, stripped the region of its special rights and opened it up to non-resident settlement.
Critics describe it as part of a “settler-colonial agenda” aimed at changing the demographic balance in favour of non-Muslim populations.
Reports from human rights monitors cite widespread detentions, curbs on media, and property seizures under what they call “draconian laws.”
Businesses and tourism have collapsed, youth unemployment is rampant, and thousands of residents suffer from psychological trauma after years of conflict and repression.
Pakistan’s continued support
Pakistan’s government reaffirmed its political, diplomatic, and moral support for the Kashmiri people. The annual observance of Black Day reflects Pakistan’s “unwavering commitment” to the Kashmir cause and serves as a reminder to the international community of its responsibility to ensure justice and peace in the region.
“The continued suffering of the Kashmiri people demands urgent international attention,” the Foreign Office said, calling the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir not just a political dispute but a “humanitarian tragedy.”
Call for international action
Analysts and rights advocates have urged the United Nations and global powers to intervene to prevent further escalation humanitarian crisis.
They say that durable peace in South Asia depends on a just and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue, ensuring the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination as guaranteed under international law.
