KARACHI:Hamdard University observed Kashmir Black Day on Tuesday to condemn India’s Illegal Occupation and continued control of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
A one-minute silence was observed to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people and honour the victims of the decades-long conflict.
An extempore speech competition and a contest featuring short documentary films produced by students were held at the university’s main auditorium.
The participants highlighted the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom and their right to self-determination.
Hamdard University Registrar Faizullah Jawad attended the event as the chief guest. Prof Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, Mansoor Moattar Siddiqui and Prof Adnan Kanpurwala served as the judges of the competitions.
Six students from different faculties presented extempore speeches in which they recalled the events of October 27, 1947, when Indian forces invaded IIOJK, as well as the subsequent United Nations resolutions against the occupation of the disputed territory.
The speakers emphasised that history is not merely a collection of events, nor is Kashmir simply a line drawn on a map. Rather, it reflects the pain, emotions and aspirations of its people. They reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to support the Kashmiri people’s cause at international forums.
Addressing the gathering, Prof Kanpurwala said the Kashmiris’ rights had been trampled upon over the last eight decades and described the Kashmiri movement as a struggle for freedom and fundamental rights. He reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people’s struggle.
Referring to the mass migration during the partition of British India in 1947, the professor described it as one of the largest migrations in history, as it involved more than ten million people.
Citing an international report published about ten years ago, he stated that 50 per cent of the population in IIOJK had developed various mental health disorders.
In the speech competition, Shajia Safwan from the Faculty of Pharmacy secured first position. Aroosa Jabeen from the Faculty of Eastern Medicine and Hammad Niazi from the Faculty of Law won second and third positions, respectively.
The documentary film produced by students of the Faculty of Management Sciences secured first position and received an award in recognition of their contribution to highlighting the Kashmir issue.