M. Zahid Raffat
Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), in Pakistan, and across the world are observing Jammu Martyrs Day on November 6, 2025, to pay tribute to the martyrs and reaffirm their resolve to continue the freedom struggle until the inalienable right of self-determination, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, is achieved.
Hundreds of Kashmiris were killed in the first week of November 1947 by the forces of Maharaja Hari Singh, the Indian Army, and Hindu militias across various parts of the Jammu region as they migrated towards Pakistan. In the massacre of November 6, the entire Muslim population of several Muslim-majority areas was annihilated—their homes were set ablaze, and women were raped and abducted.
The Jammu massacre was one of the most tragic and brutal chapters in the history of the subcontinent, marked by mass killings, displacement, and the extermination of Kashmiri Muslims. The genocide began in 1947 when thousands were mercilessly slain by the forces of Maharaja Hari Singh, aided by right-wing Hindu groups and Sikh militias. Since then, the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir have lived under constant repression, facing death and violence as routinely as those under any prolonged occupation and tyranny.
This horrific event, remembered as the Jammu Massacre, stands among the darkest moments in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiris also mark two other “darkest days” in their history: October 27, 1947, when India airlifted its troops and occupied Jammu and Kashmir; and August 5, 2019, when the Modi government unilaterally revoked the region’s special constitutional status and annexed it into the Indian Union. Both events remain enduring symbols of subjugation, with no sign of reversal or justice.
As they observe Jammu Martyrs Day, Kashmiris pay homage to the martyrs through rallies and gatherings, while reaffirming their pledge to continue their indigenous, peaceful, and just struggle for freedom from Indian occupation. They continue to urge the United Nations to act decisively and enforce its own resolutions, as more than seven decades have passed without implementation. They also call upon the international community to rise above political and economic interests, to hold India accountable for its defiance of international law, and to support the Kashmiris’ legitimate demand for self-determination. Human rights organisations are likewise urged to take notice of the continuing violations in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to act with determination in pursuit of justice.
Pakistan, for its part, has consistently extended moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri cause, raising the issue at all international forums and urging the UN Security Council to ensure implementation of its resolutions. Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership have repeatedly reaffirmed this stance—at the UN General Assembly, in bilateral meetings with world leaders, and on the sidelines of global summits—pressing for international action to grant Kashmiris their right of self-determination.
Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of the subcontinent’s partition. India continues to defy the UN Charter and its resolutions, but the Kashmiri people’s faith, geography, and shared heritage bind them naturally to Pakistan. Their resilience and determination remain unshaken. Inshallah, their long and just struggle for freedom will one day succeed. Long live the brave Kashmiris and their unwavering fight against oppression and tyranny.
The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com
