Pakistani mission in Turkey celebrates Independence Day

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) – Pakistani Embassy in Turkey on Wednesday, celebrated the country’s 73rd Independence Day at its premises.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Ankara, Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi presided over the flag hoisting ceremony. Pakistan’s national anthem was played and students took stage to sing traditional songs wearing their native dress.
As part of celebrations, Atakule -- tallest tower of Ankara -- has been lit carrying message of Pakistan-Turkey solidarity. The tower is situated on Jinnah Road, named after the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.


Pakistani envoy Qazi said that his country faced lot of challenges since it got independence on Aug. 14, 1947. He said Kashmir issue was the main among all other challenges.

“The curfew which is continuing in the Indian occupied Kashmir for weeks, is not only the violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, but also the violations of human rights,” he said.

The ambassador also said that even on the eve of the Eid al-Adha, the Kashmiri Muslims could not perform either prayers or sacrifice.

Qazi invited all Pakistanis and the freedom loving people in Turkey, to come to the embassy and attend "black day" vigil on Aug 15.
He said in order to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir, Aug. 15, the Independence Day of India, will be commemorated as a "black day".
Tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi, the two arch rivals have further escalated, following India's move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir -- which allowed Kashmiri citizens to enact their own laws and prevented outsiders to settle and own land in the territory.

Kashmiri leaders and citizens fear this step is an attempt by the Indian government to change demography of the Muslim-majority state, where some groups have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

The Himalayan region is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars -- in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.