Johannesburg - Members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri communities in Joburg gathered on Saturday to protest in front of the Wanderers Stadium, where the India-South Africa cricket match was being played.
The aim of protest was to highlight atrocities committed by Indian forces in Kashmir, especially the use of pellet guns which are making hundreds of civilians blind.
International human rights organisations have already criticised the use of pellet guns by Indian forces against civilians.
Kashmiri activists gathered holding placards and chanting slogans. They also held banners with photos of pellet guns victims to expose the South African public to the extent of the injuries sustained by these weapons.
Tens of thousands of South Africans who came to watch the match witnessed the protest. It is first time that so many South Africans were exposed to photos of Indian atrocities in Kashmir.
Activists also appealed to the United Nations to implement their long outstanding Security Council resolutions on Kashmir which ask for a referendum in Kashmir. The Kashmir resolutions were passed by UN Security Council in 1948 on the request of India, asking for a referendum to take place in the whole of the Kashmir valley.
The Pakistani community also organised a seminar of 200 people on February 5 in Pretoria to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people.