ISLAMABAD: Massive protests broke out across Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) following the assassination of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Revered in the region for his resistance against Israeli occupation in Palestine and his broader opposition to Zionist expansion in the Middle East, Nasrallah was martyred in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. His death triggered widespread anger and grief, leading to demonstrations in several districts across Kashmir.
In areas such as Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, and Bandipora, people took to the streets, chanting anti-Israel and anti-U.S. slogans. Protests were particularly strong in Srinagar, where large crowds, including children carrying black flags, gathered in neighborhoods like Rainawari, Saidakadal, Shalimar, and Bemina. Similar scenes unfolded in Budgam town and surrounding areas, with demonstrators expressing solidarity with resistance movements in Gaza and Lebanon and demanding an end to Israeli aggression.
Protesters shared their deep emotional connection with Nasrallah and the cause he represented. “He was one of the few voices of resistance in the Middle East, fighting for the oppressed,” said Tabish Abbas, a protester from Zadibal. Another protester, Fazil Hussain, described Nasrallah as a role model, while women like Shaafia voiced their grief over the loss, feeling deeply shaken by the news.
Prominent political figures in the region also paid tribute to Nasrallah. Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq honored him on the microblogging platform X, writing, “Martyrs don’t die; they live on in our hearts as an inspiration.” Political leaders like National Conference’s Aga Syed Ruhullah and Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) canceled their political campaigns in solidarity, with Mufti expressing her support for Lebanon and Palestine during this period of grief and resistance.
Funeral prayers in absentia were held in various locations, with leaders and scholars like Dr. Sameer Siddiqui praising Nasrallah’s legacy. The protests and emotional outpouring reflect the strong sense of solidarity in Kashmir for Nasrallah and the broader anti-Israel resistance movement.
