August 5: A Day of Protest in IIOJK

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called upon the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), pro-freedom organizations, and Kashmiris worldwide to observe August 5 as “Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir.” This day marks the protest against the Indian BJP government’s revocation of the territory’s special status.

On August 5, 2019, the BJP-led government, supported by its administration and military, abrogated Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution. These articles had granted special status to IIOJK. The move was followed by a severe military crackdown and extensive siege in the region. Later, on October 31, 2019, the Indian government further bifurcated IIOJK into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh — each with its own Lieutenant Governors.

In a statement from Srinagar, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas urged people to observe August 5 as “Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir” to highlight their rejection of the Indian government’s actions. He stressed that despite 77 years of illegal occupation and extreme brutality by Indian troops, the determination and spirit of the Kashmiri people remain unshaken in their struggle for the UN-recognized right to self-determination.

Minhas called on India to acknowledge the ground realities in IIOJK, reverse its actions of August 5, 2019, lift the military and police siege, cease violations of international laws, release all political prisoners, and create an environment for resolving the Kashmir dispute according to United Nations resolutions. He emphasized that Kashmiris have sacrificed countless lives in their struggle for freedom from Indian occupation and will persist in their struggle until the mission of the martyrs is achieved.