Washington DC Protest Rally

The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) and community organizations in the
National Capital Region (Washington, DC, USA) held a protest rally in front of the
Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC on October 22, 2020 to mark the 73rd
anniversary of Pakistan’s first brutal cross-border aggression of Jammu and Kashmir.
Wearing masks and practicing Covid era social distancing, the protesters used digital

truck and car displays to mark Kashmir’s black day, the dawn of Pakistan’s cross-
border terrorism.Dr. Mohan Sapru, the rally organizer and Washington, DC GKPD coordinator said
“While using masks and current practice of social distancing, the rally protesters have
gathered to voice their anguish and strong condemnation of Pakistan’s 73-year long
perpetual policy of cross-border terrorism and overt operations in Kashmir, which
have especially targeted the minority communities i.e., Kashmiri Hindus, Sikhs,
Christians and Buddhists. Cross-border aggression against peaceful Kashmir by
Pakistan-trained and sponsored militia called Kabalis on the fateful day of October 22,
1947 marked the birth of the Kashmir problem. The brutality of cross-border Islamic
terrorism has continued unabated and resulted in the genocide and forced exodus of
indigenous Kashmiri Hindus during the dark period of 1989-1991. Whether heinous
terrorist acts happen in Kashmir, or US or any other part of the world, at the end of
the day, terrorism is a blot on the conscience of humanity and cannot be a legitimate
means to settle disputes in a civilized world. World communities need to be honest in
calling out the menace of Islamic terrorism worldwide, recognize the Kashmiri Hindu
genocide and acknowledge the human rights violation of this minority
community. For true peace to return to Kashmir, the menace of Islamic terrorism
needs to be uprooted, and perpetrators of rape and murder of Kashmiri Hindus
brought to justice. There still is no comprehensive viable plan in sight for the safe
return to the valley of indigenous Kashmiri Hindus, who have become refugees in
their own country. The agony and hardships of a few hundred Kashmiri Hindu
families, who continued to live in the Kashmir valley, still remain largely
unaddressed.”The rally participant and community activist, Sidarth Ambardar, recalled Father
George Shanks’s account of murder of nuns by the invading Kabali militia in October
1947, and desecration of Chatti Padhshahi Gurdwara. He said: “Pakistani invaders in
1947 terrorized, looted and killed the locals and Zanana, Zar and Jehad (women, booty
and holy war) motivated them”. Swapna Raina, another rally participant and a
Kashmiri Hindu community activist said: “We will keep seeking justice and not let the
world forget the massacre of indigenous Kashmiris by Islamic terrorists.” Utsav
Chakrabarti, a local community activist said: “There is so little that is known about the
dark days of October 22,1947. Every Indian should remember to share this with the
wipes, so it’s never repeated again.”
Speaking in Urdu, journalist and local Pashtun resident Pir Zubair joined the rally and
said: “Pakistan had brainwashed and seduced tribesmen into invading and
committing atrocities on Kashmiris in the name of jihad. And what Pakistan did to
Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs in 1947, it is now doing to those same tribesmen in
Waziristan and other Pashtun-populated territories. Pakistan’s role in using others to
either perpetuate terror or as targets of terror is the real cause of geopolitical
problems in the region.”