The 8th martyrdom anniversary of renowned Kashmiri Hurriyat leader, Muhammad Afzal Guru was observed on both sides of Line of Control with a renewed pledge to step up struggle for the liberation of Occupied Kashmir.

In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, normal life was paralyzed due to complete shutdown. All shops and business establishments were closed while traffic was off the road.

Call for the strike was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat forum and other pro-freedom leaders and organizations.

Thousands of personnel of Indian army, police and paramilitary forces were patrolling the deserted streets in the valley to prevent pro-freedom and anti-India protests.

In Muzaffarabad, a rally was taken out by Pasban-e-Hurriyat AJK in connection with the martyrdom anniversary of Afzal Guru.

The rally started from Afzal Guru Chowk towards the grave of Liaqat Awan Shaheed amid high pitched anti-India, pro-freedom, and pro-Pakistan slogans.

The speakers paid glowing tributes to martyred liberation leader Afzal Guru, Maqbool But, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, and others and vowed to support Kashmiris in their just right to self-determination.

APHC working Vice Chairman Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar, in a statement in Srinagar today, thanked the people of Kashmir for observing the exemplary shutdown.

Hurriyat leaders Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Khawaja Firdous, Farida Bahanji, Jammu and Kashmir National Front and Islami Tanzeem-e-Azadi in their separate statements urged the international community and the United Nations to play a role in resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions.