Kashmir solidarity protest held outside Indian Embassy in Vienna

VIENNA: Members of the Pakistani community staged a peaceful protest outside the Indian Embassy in Austria’s capital Vienna on November 2, expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir and calling for international action over alleged human rights violations in the disputed region.

The demonstration was held near Karlsplatz, close to the Vienna State Opera, under the leadership of Kashmir Freedom Front Austria Chairman Professor Malik Shaukat Awan.

The protest began with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Haji Rana Muhammad Idris, followed by the participation of members of the Pakistani community who gathered to express their support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

Participants carried Pakistani and Kashmiri flags and displayed banners bearing slogans against India and the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Demonstrators also chanted slogans including “Kashmir Banega Pakistan” and “Long Live Pakistan Army.”

Addressing the gathering, Professor Malik Shaukat Awan, Syed Azhar Shah, Haji Rana Muhammad Idris and other speakers strongly condemned what they described as human rights violations and alleged abuses against people in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The speakers urged the United Nations to ensure the implementation of its resolutions on Kashmir, arguing that the international community must take meaningful steps towards resolving the longstanding dispute.

They also called on the European Union to take notice of alleged human rights violations by Indian authorities and play a more effective role in securing the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

The speakers maintained that the people of Kashmir should be allowed to determine their political future in accordance with their aspirations and relevant international commitments.

Local police and administrative authorities maintained heightened security arrangements around the demonstration to ensure the peaceful conduct of the gathering.

The protest concluded with a collective prayer led by Haji Rana Muhammad Idris. Participants offered special prayers for the Muslim community, as well as peace and justice for the people of Kashmir and Palestine.

The demonstration highlighted the Pakistani diaspora’s continued efforts to draw international attention to the Kashmir dispute and keep the issue on the agenda of European institutions and global human rights forums.