Ahead of India’s Independence Day, Pakistan government on Thursday decided to observe August 15 as “black day” as Pakistani flags will fly half-mast in residential areas and government buildings across the nation.
This is in protest against India’s move to scrap Article 370 — that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir — and also bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.
August 14, which Pakistan celebrates as its Independence Day, will this time be observed in solidarity with the Kashmiris and their struggle for their right to self- determination, according to government notifications.
This follows the measures announced by the Pakistan National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On Friday, Pakistan army has warned India, saying that if there is an attempt by India to undertake any “misadventure”, then its response will be “even stronger than that of February 27”, as tensions escalated between the two neighbours after Article 370 was revoked by the Indian government.
Taking to Twitter, Director General Asif Ghafoor said, “Should there be an attempt by Indian Army to undertake any misadventure, Pakistan’s response shall be even stronger than that of Feb 27, 2019,”.
On February 27, Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured in Pakistan after his MiG-21 Bison fighter jet was shot down during an aerial dogfight between the Indian Air Force and the Pakistan Air Force near the Line of Control (LoC).
Earlier on Thursday, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting tweeted, “All kinds of Indian content have been stopped and Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) has been directed to step up its vigilance in this regard along with actions against the sale of Indian DTH instruments”.
Earlier this month, following India’s decision to scrap Article 370, Pakistan government had strongly condemned the move saying that it will “exercise all possible options to counter it.”
The NSC expelled the Indian envoy, decided to suspend bilateral trade, and review bilateral arrangements after India abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to J-K.