Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has called October 27 a “dark day” in history, marking the anniversary of India’s entry into Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.

In his special message for the day in a statement today, he expressed that this date signifies the beginning of human rights violations in Kashmir, where India’s deployment of troops has continually suppressed the rights of the Kashmiri people.

Chaudhry appealed to Kashmiris around the world to mobilize efforts to highlight the Kashmir issue internationally. He urged overseas Kashmiris to organize demonstrations in their respective countries on October 27, the ‘Black Day,’ to expose the harsh actions taken by India in Kashmir.

The President of AJK further called on the international community, global organizations, and human rights institutions to take action for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.