A prominent Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) activist observed the first anniversary of Indian government's move of scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir last year by cutting tri-colour cake and releasing balloons.

Feeling proud of the day, activist Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region living in Glasgow told ANI, “The abrogation of Article 370 helped the people of PoK to be a part of India.”

He said violence has reduced in the Valley significantly ever since the Indian government scrapped Article 370.

Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the event.

“Women are enjoying equal rights for the first time in Kashmir and 400,000 war refugees from PoK living in shanty camps have been recognised as Indian citizens and JK domicile status has been granted to them”, said Mirza.

On Aug 5 last year, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government in India scrapped Article 370 and 35A that accorded a special status to the state.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir was acceded to India through the instrument of accession in 1947, under which special status was granted by New Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir, under Article 370.

Islamic terrorism also saw the exodus of the Hindu Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley in 1989-90.

The Modi government also bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir state into two union territories- Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without an assembly.

The Modi government also scrapped Article 35A, which had allowed the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and also provided special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.

Source: India Blooms

BDST: 1930 HRS, AUG 12, 2020
AP