Pakistan reaffirms unwavering support to Kashmiri people’s just struggle

ISLAMABAD: As a ‘Kashmir Black Day’ was observed on Wednesday to condemn the 74 years of Indian illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people and right to self-determination.

To honour the supreme sacrifices of three generations of Kashmiris in pursuit of their right to self-determination, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood planted three Chinar saplings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

A solidarity walk initiated from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was led by President Dr Arif Alvi, who also addressed the participants. The foreign secretary presented a specially designed memento to the president. The memento depicts the ongoing human rights violations by the Indian occupation forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The rally was also attended by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, federal ministers, political figures, and people from various walks of life.

Messages by the president, the prime minister, and the foreign minister were issued to mark the Kashmir Black Day 2021.

In the messages, the leadership reiterated Pakistan’s strong resolve to continue its support for the Kashmiri people until the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination.

In his address to the rally at D-Chowk, President Alvi said that India is digging its own grave by oppressing Muslims and other minorities. He said that the history of India is blotched with dark eras of tyranny and its future would be even darker under the Hindutva supremacy.

He paid homage to the perseverance and struggle of Kashmiri people against Indian illegal domination and state-terrorism in the IIOJK.

Dr Alvi assured the Kashmiris that the Pakistani nation would stand with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

He pointed out that the unilateral steps taken by India to change the demographic structure of Jammu and Kashmir are illegal and a clear violation of various UN resolutions and international law.

The president urged the international community and India to fulfil its promise of giving Kashmiris the right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Pakistan’s missions abroad are also organising a range of activities to raise global awareness about the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and to reaffirm solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

To perpetuate its illegal occupation, India is instituting demographic change in the IIOJK in contravention of international law including UN Charter, UN Security Council resolutions, and the 4th Geneva Convention, said a statement of the Foreign Office.

In order to crush the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for self-determination, it added that India has unleashed the worst form of state-terrorism and widespread and systematic violations of human rights against the people of the IIOJK in complete disregard of international human rights and humanitarian laws.

“Durable peace and security in South Asia hinge on peaceful resolution of the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people,” it stated.

Through the statement, Pakistan also called upon the international community to impress upon India the imperative to reverse its unilateral and illegal measures instituted in the IIOJK since 5th August 2019, stop all human rights violations, revoke the demographic changes in the IIOJK, and peacefully resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with international legitimacy.

“Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiri people for the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in international law, United Nations Charter and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021