Pakistan came to a standstill on Friday as thousands rallied in mass demonstrations protesting New Delhi’s brutalities in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in most ambitious public protests targeting India in years. At noon, sirens rang out across Pakistan followed by broadcasts of national anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir, while traffic ground to a halt for several minutes in solidarity with rallies.
National anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir will be played at noon on Friday in line with the government’s move to observe ‘Kashmir Hour’ every week, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ) Director General Major Gen Asif Ghafoor. Sirens would also blare during the hour at 12pm. DG ISPR also appealed to the country’s youth to participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt’s initiative.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is mulling over complete closure of airspace and to prohibit the use of Pakistan land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan, said the Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry. “Legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration… #Modi has started we’ll finish,”! Fawad Chaudhry said in a Tweet following the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (Pemra) has completely banned all kinds of advertisements featuring Indian actors or characters from being aired on electronic media. PEMRA’s statement included 11 multinational brands whose content was banned from running with immediate effect. The notice added that the ban shall remain until all these advertisements are produced in Pakistan with Pakistani characters.
Indian authorities have decided to ease restrictions in Indian occupied Kashmir ahead of the Eidul Azha by making ATMs functional and opening bank branches. People have been allowed to withdraw money, according to a Tweet by development commissioner Shahid Choudhry. However, there has been no confirmation elsewhere of the leniency in curfew and no reports of people heading to shopping areas for Eid.
In comments reported by the Emirati newspaper Gulf News, on Tuesday – the Abu Dhabi’s ambassador to New Delhi, Ahmad Al Banna, said the issue was an “internal matter” but that the revocation of the treaty would lead to peace. He further stated that the changes would improve social justice and security and confidence of the people in the local governance.
China has shown serious concern and taken strict stance on the Kashmir issue, saying it opposes India’s decision to revoke Kashmir’s special status. “India’s action is unacceptable and would not have any legal effect,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement. China urged India to strictly abide by agreements reached by both countries in order to avoid any boundary issues.
India’s ruling party’s Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday introduced a measure in parliament to revoke the special constitutional status of occupied Kashmir. The move by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to revoke special constitutional status, which allows only residents to buy property and hold state government jobs, is the most far-reaching move on the disputed Himalayan region in nearly seven decades.
Indian government imposed curfew like conditions in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), and placed under house arrest the former chief ministers of IoK Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Internet services on the cellphones were also suspended, in order to prevent any possible anti-India demonstrations from being organised. All educational institutions have been closed in the restive region and public movement has been banned.
Panic grips all over Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) as Indian government has asked tourists and Hindu pilgrims to leave immediately. Additional deployment of 25000 troops and call to stockpile food and fuel has sparked fears in occupied Kashmir that New Delhi is planning to scrap an Indian constitutional provision that disallows Indians to buy land in the Muslim-majority region.