A community seminar was held in Sydney on Friday 27 October 2023 to mark Kashmitr Black Day in order to solidarity and support Kashmiris in their struggle for rights to self determination and highlight the plight of people in  Kashmir under Indian military occupation.

    Historically it was on this day, 27 October 1947, when Indian troops forcibly occupied Jammu and Kashmir by landing its army in Srinagar against the will and wishes of the Kashmiri people and since denying their right to self determination in contravention of several UN resolutions.

    The event was held at Himalaya Restaurant in Granville organised by the Australian Forum for Kashmir (AFK) in collaboration with Sydney’s Pakistan Consulate General  and addressed by a large number of community leaders and human right activists.

    Mr Rab Nawaz,  the co-ordinator of AFK observed that Kashmir issue is not well received and discussed in mainstream media and among other important forums. However it’s not any less than Palestine issue in severity and human rights violations.

    Other speakers who addressed the audience included Mr Siddiq Buckley, Secretary, Australian Islamic mission (AIM), Mr Usaid Khalil, Secretary General, Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM), Mr Nasib Muhammed, Secretary, Islamic Association of Western Suburbs, Sydney, Mr Mahmoud Alazhari, Executive Member of Australian National Imams Council (ANIC),  Ms Lee Rhiannon, former Australian Senator and Politician and  Consul General of Pakistan in Sydney, Mr Muhammad Ashraf who delivered his concluding remarks.

    The speakers highlighted the plight of the people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir  for more than 75 years and specially since 5 August 2019 when special status of Kashmir was repealed by the Hindu Nationalist BJP government led by PM Modi.

    The speakers and participants at the event speakers reaffirmed to stay strong and steadfast for any moral, political, and diplomatic support for Kashmiri people in their struggle for freedom.

    They vowed to continually expose India as an oppressor and aggressor state denying  Kashmiris their inalienable rights to self-determination in direct violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions which agreed to give Kashmiris their fundamental rights of freedom and self determination through a plebiscite or referendum.

    The formal program was concluded with a dua by Sheikh Mahmoud Alazhari who sought Allah’s help for well being and freedom the suffering Palestinians as well as Kashmiris.