Two civilians died, and over 80 others were injured during a protest rally held in Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s capital city of Muzaffarabad, local media reported.
Similar protest rallies were also held in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
For the past 72 years, the people of Pakistan-administered Kashmir observe 22 October as a ‘Black Day’ as it was on this day in 1947 that the Pakistan Army used tribals to invade the then undivided state of Jammu and Kashmir.
As people assembled for the Tuesday rally, local police resorted to a baton charge and used tear gas to disperse them, Indian news agency ANI and other media reported.
#WATCH Two dead & several injured as police lathicharged protesters in Muzaffarabad (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) yesterday, during a rally carried out by various political parties under the All Independent Parties Alliance (AIPA). pic.twitter.com/jpDG98WRC8
— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2019
The protests in the city of Muzaffarabad took place on the same day when foreign diplomats were brought to the area by Pakistan's Army to convince them that there were no terror camps on Pakistani soil and counter reports by neighbouring India and other countries.
A segment of netizens took to social media to voice their concerns over the violence and criticise Pakistani authorities.
Pakistani Fojiyon .. chorr do Kashmir ko..
— Arif Aajakia (@arifaajakia) October 22, 2019
Gher Mulki (Pakistani) Jihaadiyon .. Chorr do Kashmir ko..
This is of today..
In PoK..
Kashmiris are fed up of Pakistani Lollipop 🍭 pic.twitter.com/F3QiWlhY5M
Where is the human rights@ Imran khan.
— Bhavik Joshi (@bhavikmitva) October 23, 2019
Let’s see @Malala gonna say abt this and how she is going to urge @UN ???? Unworthy Noblist ... Shame to Sir #AlfredNobel for offering peace prize to her
— Bahavathi (@bahavthi) October 23, 2019
Radicalized Wahabi Muslims Ideology of Pakistani is killing Innocent Kashmiri Muslims, in POK.
— WINSTON CHURCHILL (@ChurchillCheers) October 23, 2019
Pakistan is today Cancer on Global Map and dangerous for Humanity.
Later in the day, the police raided the Muzaffarabad Press Club, where representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s National Alliance (JKPNA) were briefing the media. Police baton-charged journalists and even broke their recording equipment at the venue.
Apart from the rally, candlelight vigils and seminars were also organised across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Gilgit Baltistan and other parts of Pakistan.
