By Ifra Bibi
27 October 1947 is not just a date on the calendar, it is a Black Day for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). It marks the day when Indian troops entered Jammu and Kashmir under the cover of the controversial Instrument of Accession. It remains a day filled with brutal memories that refuse to fade and a painful reminder of broken promises. That was the moment when military occupation began to shape the lives, hopes, and dreams of millions of Kashmiris.
Nearly seventy-eight years have passed, yet the story of Kashmir remains one of resilience in the face of repression. The Indian government continues to invest heavily in portraying an image of peace and normalcy in IIOJK. However, the ground realities tell a very different story. Reports by international human rights organizations consistently highlight arbitrary detentions, restrictions on free speech, the absence of freedom of expression, severe media censorship, and other grave violations. Even journalists who dare to reveal the truth to the world face arrest and harassment, their persecution standing as a stark reminder that in Kashmir, reality itself has become a casualty of occupation.
After the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019, the situation in IIoJK took another tragic turn. This unconstitutional abrogation stripped the region of its limited autonomy and dismantled decades of political safeguards that once recognized the distinct identity of the Kashmiri people. India not only violated its own constitutional promises but also disregarded international commitments made before the United Nations. The move marked a deliberate attempt to erase the political and cultural identity of Kashmir, altering its demography by granting domiciles to non-native Indians and opening the region to large-scale settlement.
Since then, Kashmir has witnessed an alarming intensification of military control, arbitrary detentions, media censorship, and suppression of civil liberties. The once vibrant valleys now echo with silence, as fear shadows everyday life. Yet, despite the heavy presence of armed forces, the enforced restrictions, and the suffocating atmosphere of control, the people of Kashmir continue to endure with courage and faith. Their unbroken spirit of resistance and their unwavering struggle for dignity, identity, and self-determination remain stronger than ever.
From the streets of Srinagar to the refugee camps in Muzaffarabad, and from the human rights forums in Geneva to the voices of the Kashmiri diaspora across the world, the demand for justice continues to resonate. The Kashmiri voice, courageous, resilient, and unyielding, stands as a testimony to a people’s endurance against oppression and their timeless hope that truth and justice will ultimately prevail.
For Pakistan, 27 October is not merely a day of remembrance; it is a reaffirmation of an enduring commitment. Year after year, Pakistan continues to raise the issue of Kashmir on every regional and global platform, at the United Nations, through the OIC, and in countless diplomatic dialogues. Pakistan consistently reminds the world that peace in South Asia will remain fragile until justice is delivered in Kashmir.
The people of Kashmir deserve to live fearless, prosperous lives. The people of Pakistan share not only historical or religious ties with Kashmiris but also an emotional bond, a bond rooted in faith, compassion, and shared sacrifice.
As the world’s attention shifts to other global conflicts, the tragedy and injustice in Kashmir risk fading from headlines, but never from the hearts of those who remember. The observance of Black Day is therefore not merely about mourning the past, it is a call for a just and hopeful future. It reminds every individual around the world that freedom is not a privilege, but a right. The people of Kashmir dream of speaking without fear, living with dignity, and deciding their own destiny. Their hopes and dreams remain alive, waiting for the day when justice finally catches up with history.
Ifra Bibi is a student of International Relations at the National University Of Modern Languages and is currently serving as an intern at the Kashmir Institute of International Relations(KIIR).