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.
Speaking at a conference for the upcoming Defence and Martyrs Day, the military spokesperson added that sirens would also blare during the hour. The conference was attended by civil and military leaders from across the country.
DG ISPR also appealed to the country’s youth to participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s initiative.
In his first address to the nation post India’s revoking of special status granted to the occupied Himalayan region, PM Imran announced government’s plan to observe Kashmir Hour every Friday from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
Despite a strict clampdown on movement and information, foreign media has reported protests breaking out across the occupied valley with Indian forces using live ammunition, shotgun pellets and other tactics to subdue demonstrators.
An exclusive report by The Independent is in stark contrast to the Narendra Modi-led government’s official stance that ‘all is well’ in the occupied Himalayan region since it revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution thereby withdrawing IoK’s autonomy.
The UK newspaper reported that the Indian authorities have stopped issuing death certificates in occupied Kashmir and are compelling medical personnel to not acknowledge the use of force by occupying forces in clashes with the people of the disputed valley.
A doctor from Srinagar told The Independent that the hospital staff has verbal instructions from the Indian authorities “to keep admissions related to the clashes to a minimum, and to discharge victims quickly, in order to keep statistics down”.
“And in the cases of the three deaths, relatives spoke of their frustration at trying to get doctors to formally acknowledge the role played by the clashes – or even to issue them with death certificates at all,” the British newspaper adds.
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