By JKNSF
Hundreds of students at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in Islamabad participated in a peace walk, candlelight vigil, and protest in solidarity with the ongoing mass movement in Pakistan-administered Jammu Kashmir, condemning the reported state violence against protesters and paying tribute to students killed in recent incidents.
The demonstration was organised at the call of the Qaideen Student Federation (QSF). Participants condemned the ongoing state crackdown in Jammu Kashmir and honoured Usama Jameel, a QAU PhD scholar who was reportedly killed during the protest movement, as well as Salman Khan, an MPhil student who lost his life in the recent explosion in Bannu.
Students gathered to express solidarity with the people of Jammu Kashmir and to denounce what organisers described as escalating state repression against the popular movement. The event combined a peace walk, a candlelight vigil, and a protest, with participants calling for justice for those who have lost their lives and reaffirming support for the democratic aspirations of the people of the region.
According to the organisers, the large turnout reflected Quaid-i-Azam University’s long-standing tradition of student activism and its role in raising its voice against injustice. They argued that the mobilisation demonstrated the continuing willingness of students and young people in Pakistan to oppose repression and stand in solidarity with oppressed communities.
The demonstration adds to a growing wave of solidarity actions by student organisations across Pakistan and internationally in response to the ongoing political crisis in Jammu Kashmir. In recent weeks, student groups, trade unions, political organisations, and human rights bodies have issued statements and organised protests calling for accountability, the protection of democratic rights, and an end to the reported use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
