Pakistani authorities on Monday have renamed its major Kashmir Highway as Srinagar Highway in federal capital Islamabad to express solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir ahead of Youm-e-Istehsal. This symbolism comes as a result of the continued plight of the Kashmiri people as an unrelenting BJP faces them in New Dehli.
Read more: Modi used Kashmir to heighten Hindu Nationalism and bolster masculine image of “Chowkidar”
The highway will be officially inaugurated on August 5. The decision was taken to observe the first anniversary of the Indian government scrapping special status of Indian occupied Kashmir.
What is happening in Kashmir?
On 5 August 2019, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind issued a Presidential Order, through which he superseded the 1954 order, whereby all the provisions of the Indian Constitution would now apply to J&K state without any special provisions. The State’s separate Constitution is no longer valid, including the privileges sanctioned by the Article 35A. The next day, 6 August 2019, with the approval of the Indian parliament, the government of India, declared all the clauses of Article 370 except clause 1 to be inoperative. The BJP government thus unilaterally stripped Jammu and Kashmir State, a disputed territory, of its special status under the Indian constitution, that it had held since 1948, and that gave it significant autonomy.
In #Jammu & #Kashmir, #BJP has over 4,000 members in its IT cell to propagate its achievements. BJP has around 7000 whatsapp groups in J&K. The IT cells highlight alleged corruption cases of opposition parties & confront "anti-national handles" https://t.co/a4WAb3njBS
— Azaan Javaid (@AzaanJavaid) August 3, 2020
On 9 August 2019 – The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the Indian parliament by a two-thirds majority, enacting the division of the State of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories to be called Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. These were to be effective on 31 October 2019.
The renaming of the Kashmir Highway in Pakistan’s capital to Srinagar Highway is a symbolic step that seeks to raise awareness on the issue that is of prime importance to Pakistan.
The plight of the Kashmiri people continues
Earlier, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had announced to observe Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmirí (Day of Exploitation in occupied Kashmir) on August 5 (Wednesday).
While holding a press conference, the foreign minister said that shining India has been turned into burning India.
The Government’s actions in Kashmir over the past year must shame all Indians — regardless of religious faith or political affiliation — who still have some sort of moral conscience: my column in @ndtv :https://t.co/xfaropg8ig
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) August 3, 2020
Last year, Modi government launched demographic apartheid in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and divided the region into three parts, he added.
FM Qureshi asserted that Kashmiri people are facing immense difficulties, pain and persecution under the continued military siege for the last one year. We are going to change the name of Kashmir Highway with Srinagar Highway, he told.
According to details, all the direction boards on Dhokari Chowk, Faizabad, Zero Point, Golra Chowk and Express Highway have also been changed to replace Kashmir Highway with Srinagar Highway name. The 5 lane highway was built-in 1973 and now stretches 25 kilometres which goes from the new Islamabad airport all the way into central Islamabad.
Kashmir Highway to be renamed to Srinagar Highway
The highway will be officially inaugurated on August 5.
Read more: India’s claims on Kashmir rest on a dubious legal instrument
The decision was taken to observe the first anniversary of the Indian government scrapping special status of the occupied Kashmir.
GVS News Desk with additional input by other sources