ISLAMABAD: In a first-of-its-kind event in Europe, the EU-Pakistan Friendship Federation on Thursday organised a mega protest motor rally in Brussels, Belgium, to highlight Indian brutalities in Held Kashmir and attract the world attention towards the plight of Kashmiri people.
The rally started from popular monument ‘Brussels Atomium’ and finished at the Expo Centre. About 150 people belonging to Pakistani diaspora, Indian minorities including Sikhs and Dalits, human rights activists and defenders and freelance journalists participated in the demonstration. Around 70 vehicles with different slogans painted on them were also part of the rally.
The participants raised slogans against Indian brutalities in Held Kashmir as well other occupied regions such as Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Sikkim and Manipur. The participants were also carrying placards with ‘Free Assam’, ‘Free Tripura’, ‘Free Khalistan’, ‘Free Held Kashmir’, ‘India Stop Atrocities Against Minorities’ inscribed over those.
The rally demanded that the European Union, UN and other international organisations seriously ponder over the grievances of unarmed and innocent people of the Indian-held Kashmir besides Indian minorities so as to liberate them from the tyrant clutches of India. The rally was witnessed by a huge number of European and global tourists visiting the Atomium and Expo Centre areas in Brussels at the time. Being the first motor rally of its kind in entire Europe, the event invited huge attention of the European Union, European community and various European media outlets. Another rally was held in London on Thursday as part of a campaign to expose India’s real face before the world, with three vans displaying banners plying on London roads. Two more digital vans will be added to the rally being organised by Lord Nazir on Friday (today). The vehicles will cover whole of London in the course of next two days. Billboards will also be installed at prominent places in the city besides holding a protest demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission as part of the campaign.
Published in Daily Times, January 26th 2018.
