Massive anti-India protest held across Britain

LONDON Staff RepoRt

Massive protest demonstrations were held across Britain, marking India’s so-called Republic Day as Black Day.

Kashmiris, members of Sikh community, and their allies participated in the protest demos, pressing the UK government to intervene and halt the ongoing genocide in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The demonstrations were held outside the Indian High Commission in London and Indian Consulate in Birmingham.

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

Seventeen Pakistani nationals imprisoned in the Indian jails were repatriated via Attari-Wagah border on Friday. According to Pakistan High Commission information on Twitter, “17 Pakistani nationals imprisoned in India were repatriated today via AttariWagah border after hectic efforts of Pakistan High Commission in India and Foreign Office and cooperation of the Indian side. Our efforts will continue to repatriate all prisoners from India on completion of their sentences, said the commission.

KC-EU holds protest camp in Brussels

BRUSSELS

Staff RepoRt

The Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU) organized a protest camp on the occasion of Indian Republic Day in front of EU foreign ministry in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Kashmiris, who have been suffering from Indian atrocities for the last seven decades, observe the Indian Republic Day falling on 26th January as Black Day every year. The peaceful protest camp in Brussels was headed by Chairman of KC-EU Ali Raza Syed while the participants in the camp, holding placards, called for freedom of the Kashmiris from the Indian occupation. Ali Raza Syed on the occasion said India claims to be the largest democracy of the world but it refuses the democratic rights of the people of Kashmir as atrocities against the people continue. He said, peace in Kashmir is connected to the whole region. If Kashmir is witness of peace, the whole region will be witness of peace and prosperity, he added.“On the Indian Republic Day, we simply want to convey a message to the Indian government that there is no point in glorifying democracy if people are living in miseries under the might of the gun”, he said. The KC-EU’s Chairman Ali Raza Syed urged India to stop brutalities against the Kashmiris and fulfill its promise of right to Self-determination to the people of Kashmir. He also called upon the International community to intervene to stop human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and play its role for just settlement of the lingering Kashmir dispute. He said, India is the so-called “biggest” democracy of the world but in reality, it’s not a democracy because it is ruthlessly suppressing the democratic rights of Kashmiris and continuously killing the innocent Kashmiri people as well.

Raising slogans against the draconian laws, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act UAPA and Public Safety Act (PSA), the protesters said such laws reflect the colonial mindset of the Indian rulers.

“The black laws like the UAPA have no place in the modern and enlightened era that is the 21st century,” said Fahim Kayani, leader of Tehreek-e-Kashmir, UK. “India has been a misleading member of the comity of nations and has exploited west’s so-called war on terror to suppress the Kashmiris and other communities, especially Sikh members,” he added.

Pointing out India’s blatant misuse of its colonial laws, the demonstrators said:

“If speaking for one’s rights is terrorism, then India’s Gandhi was the terrorist of the century.”

“Fascist Indian regime labelling Dr Asif Dar, a renowned physician, as ‘ter- rorist’ is nothing but a move aimed at scaring Kashmiris who live in diaspora,” Kayani said. He said Dr Dar speaks against the illegal Indian occupation of Kashmir and is an ardent supporter of non-violent resistance movement to end

PTDC showcases Pakistan’s tourism potential in New York from today

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tourism Development Cooperation (PTDC) along with other provincial and regional partners will showcase Pakistan’s rich tourism potential in the twoday ‘Travel and Adventure Show New York’, to begin from January 28 (Saturday).

According to an official source, six provincial and regional tourism departments, 20 private tour operators and hospitality companies will take part in the show, and highlight the country’s rich tourism potential for the world.

“The provincial departments taking part in the event will include Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), Tourism Development Cooperation of Punjab (TDCP), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cultural and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Culture and Tourism Department Gilgit-Baltistan (CTDGB) and Tourism Department of Balochistan”, the source said.

At the outset, the Pakistani delegation will also participate in other sideline meetings to promote Pakistan as a tourist destination in the North American market.

“The event will provide an opportunity to showcase the great potential of Pakistan tourism industry and create linkages with the leading international players of tourism industry which will greatly help attract more tourists”, the source added.

The event will also help enhance the inflow of foreign tourists to discover the rich tourism potential of Pakistan which will contribute in the socio-economic development of the country.

Travel and Adventure Show provides a great opportunity to interact with the top international and do- mestic travel destinations, tour operators, cruise lines and travel providers. With more than 110 events and over 18 years running, the Travel and Adventure Show series have been the go-to place for over 2.5 million travelers and over 4,500 of the world’s top destinations, tour operators, cruise lines and travel providers from around the globe. illegal Indian occupation in Kashmir.

Pakistan has a lot of potential to attract huge number of foreign tourists and expatriate Pakistanis to explore and witness the country’s culture, ecotourism and Sikh heritage.

Pakistan is undoubtedly a land of beauty which offers unmatched tourism opportunities due to its breathtaking landscapes, rich culture and heritage.

“The Indian illegal move against Dr Asif Dar is basically an expression of the long arm of the Indian state which is going after Kashmiris around the world. No civilized nation can ever think of following people in other nations… Such steps by the Indian regime are a slap on the international community as India has overstepped its mandate as a member of the comity of nations,” Kayani said.

Addressing the demonstrations, the Sikh leader Ranjit Singh Srai condemned India’s holding of Republic Day celebrations. “This day in 1950 when Indian state adopted its Constitution basically legitimized its theft of the right to self-determination from the people of Punjab and Kashmir,” Srai said He said that all the communities resisting Indian occupation of their lands should unite in action and force the international community to hold India accountable.

“For any success, grass roots momentum is needed in western nations especially Europe where the local governments must be informed of vile acts of Indian state i.e. colonial policies like in Kashmir and the Punjab,” he said.

Nazimabad residents hold protest against gas shortage

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Protesting against non-supply of natural gas for the past several weeks in North Nazimabad neighbourhoods, the residents of localities took to streets and demanded immediate restoration of gas supply. Led by newly-elected local bodies’ representatives in the area, the residents of Wahid Colony in North Nazimabad, including women and children, staged a protest demonstration outside the Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGC) office in the neighbourhood. Carrying placards and banners and chanting slogans against the ‘injustices’, the residents demanded immediate action against those officials who had been ‘out-rightly refusing’ to fix the serious problem despite repeated complaints of the consumers. “It has been more than a month that the gas supply is totally off in this area,” said Zulfiqar Ahmed, the newly elected vice chairman of the local government in the area. “The area people have approached every relevant office of the SSGC, but no one paid any heed. The situation has forced the people to use wood or LPG cylinders as alternative fuel to gas, but not majority of residents could afford this. We receive monthly bills regularly, but no one is here to address our problems.” He rejected the SSGC claim that the supply was being ensured in particular hours as the area was without gas supply for over a month and “not for a second” they had received the gas supply.