Rally in Muzaffarabad marks 10th anniversary of Burhan Wani’s death

Mir told the gathering that people living in occupied Kashmir remain committed to pursuing their right to self determination and continue to support eventual accession to Pakistan.

A rally took place Wednesday in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, marking the tenth anniversary of Burhan Wani’s death and drawing participation from leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, government officials, refugees from Indian occupied Kashmir and large numbers of young Kashmiris.

Wani, a prominent Kashmiri activist, died at age 21, and his death sent shockwaves throughout the region while drawing international attention to the longstanding conflict in the disputed territory. His death on July 8, 2016, triggered widespread protests across the region, which in turn led to another wave of violence carried out by Indian occupation forces.

Participants at Wednesday’s rally included Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister’s spokesperson Shaukat Javed Mir, Muzaffarabad Development Authority Chairman Yasir Gilani, leaders from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, government employees and members of civil society. The rally began at Burhan Muzaffar Wani Chowk before concluding at Alamdar Chowk.

Demonstrators carried Pakistani and Azad Jammu and Kashmir flags throughout the rally while chanting slogans against India and expressing support for both Pakistan and Wani’s legacy.

Speakers addressing the gathering said that communities across the Line of Control observe July 8 annually as a day of resistance in remembrance of Wani, describing him as a symbol of the Kashmir freedom movement whose struggle continues to inspire young Kashmiris on both sides of the divide.

Mir told the gathering that people living in occupied Kashmir remain committed to pursuing their right to self determination and continue to support eventual accession to Pakistan. He said many young people across the territory still follow the path Wani represented.

Mir also criticized India over human rights violations in the region, stating that Indian occupation forces have killed more than 97,000 Kashmiris, widowed 22,000 women and imprisoned over 4,000 young people during the past 36 years of occupation.

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister’s spokesperson further noted that senior Hurriyat leaders, including Shabbir Shah and Yasin Malik, remain in Indian custody, and he called on New Delhi to release all political detainees while withdrawing its forces from the disputed territory.

Speakers at the rally also urged the United Nations to implement its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and to ensure that residents of the territory receive their right to self determination as outlined under international law.

The gathering additionally paid tribute to Pakistan’s military, with speakers crediting the success of Operation Bunyan un Marsoos, also referred to as Iron Wall, with strengthening Pakistan’s standing on the international stage.

The anniversary rally reflects a continuing pattern of annual commemorations held across Azad Jammu and Kashmir each July to mark Wani’s death, with organizers using the occasion both to honor his memory and to draw renewed attention to the broader political situation in Indian occupied Kashmir. Speakers at such events routinely combine tributes to Wani’s legacy with broader calls for international intervention regarding the status of the disputed region.

The involvement of senior Hurriyat Conference leaders alongside government officials at Wednesday’s rally underscores the continued political significance placed on Wani’s death within Kashmiri political circles, both in Pakistan administered territory and among activists advocating on behalf of Kashmiris living under Indian administration.

Officials and participants at the rally reiterated longstanding demands regarding self determination and international engagement on the Kashmir dispute, positions that have remained consistent across multiple similar commemorations held in previous years. The continued reference to United Nations resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir reflects an ongoing emphasis within Pakistani and Kashmiri political discourse on international legal frameworks as a basis for resolving the territorial dispute.