ISLAMABAD: People of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan and around the world are set to observe Martyrs’ Day on Thursday to honour the martyrs of July 13, 1931, and all other Kashmiri martyrs.
As per Kashmir Media Service, occupied Jammu and Kashmir will witness a complete shutdown, and a march towards the martyrs’ graveyard at Naqashband Sahib in Srinagar, where the martyrs of July 13 are laid to rest.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called for the observance of this day, with support from various pro-freedom leaders and organizations.
In a statement issued in Srinagar, the APHC urged people to ensure the success of the shutdown and march, conveying a powerful message to the world that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are committed to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute under the UN resolutions and are unwilling to accept Indian subjugation at any cost.
Rallies, seminars, and conferences will also be held in Azad Kashmir and major capitals worldwide to pay tribute to the Kashmiri martyrs.
On July 13, 1931, during the court proceedings against Abdul Qadeer, who had called upon the Kashmiri people to defy the despotic Dogra rule, the troops of Dogra Maharaja brutally killed 22 Kashmiris one after another outside Central Jail in Srinagar.
During the noon prayer, a young man started reciting the Azaan and was shot dead by the Dogra soldiers. Another youth bravely took his place and was also martyred by the troops. This sequence continued until 22 youth sacrificed their lives by the completion of Azaan. Since then, Kashmiris have been observing July 13 as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day annually.
