ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Thursday castigated India over its continuous inhuman military siege and unprecedented oppression in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

In a tweet, the prime minister said: “Today marks two years since India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 Aug 2019 in IIOJK. In these two years, the world has witnessed unprecedented oppression in IIOJK by Indian occupation forces. It is also witnessing Indian efforts to force demographic change and destroy Kashmiri identity”.

He praised the people of Indian occupied Kashmir for remaining undaunted in their struggle for self- determination and vowed to continue to raise his voice for their rights till Kashmiris are allowed to decide their future according to the UNSC resolutions.

The Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), the military’s media wing, quoted COAS Bajwa as saying that the “continuation of inhuman military siege, machinations to bring demographic changes and gross violations of human rights and international laws are perpetuating humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K” that imperil regional security.

In another tweet, the ISPR added that the “resolution of Kashmir dispute as per UN Resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people is imperative for enduring peace and stability in the region”.

President Dr Arif Alvi, Federal Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz, and Railways Minister Azam Swati — all leaders of the ruling PTI —took out a rally outside the Parliament House in Islamabad to condemn India’s “barbarism and violence” in occupied Kashmir, a tweet said on the party’s official account.

Youm-e-Istehsal: PM, army chief condemn India's two years of oppression in IIOJK

“Today marks the day when the people of occupied Kashmir announced a strike over New Delhi’s move to revoke the valley’s special autonomy,” the president said, as he condemned pellet gun attacks and Indian atrocities on “our Kashmiri brethren.”

“I want to tell my Kashmiri brothers that we are with you,” he said, adding that PM Imran had fought the case of occupied Kashmir in a way that “compelled the world to acknowledge.”

He condemned India for trying to bring demographic changes in the valley, and warned that a “new, stronger” Pakistan was emerging that would make sure that Kashmiris were given their rights.

The participants of the rallies in Islamabad observed a minute of silence to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

The rally was taken out at the Foreign Office led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiri people.

The participants carried flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

They raised slogans in support of Kashmiri people.

Speaking to the media persons on the occasion, Qureshi said the entire Pakistani nation and Kashmiri people reject the illegal and unilateral steps of 5th August 2019 taken by the Indian government in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

He said we will continue to support the just cause of Kashmiri people.

The rally culminated at D-Chowk.

Federal Ministers Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Shibli Faraz, Azam Swati, and people belonging to different segments of the society also joined the rally.

The PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, said in a tweet that “August 5 marks two years of India’s immoral, illegal and unilateral annexation of occupied Kashmir that flew in the face of the UN Charter & all bilateral treaties.”

He termed the repealing of Article 370, Modi’s ““final solution” meant to rob Kashmiris of their identity, human rights and the state.”

Sharif further stated that “Kashmiris’ struggle for their UN-sanctioned rights against a fascist Modi regime that has worn the mask of democracy renews our faith in the power of resilience and defiance.”

Pakistan to continue diplomatic support to Kashmiris in IIOJK: Zartaj Gul

“Today, we pay rich tributes to Kashmiris for their courage and heroism,” he added. On August 5, 2019, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had revoke occupied Kashmir’s special status by repealing Article 370 of the Constitution.

The move allowed people from the rest of India to have the right to acquire property in occupied Kashmir and settle there permanently.

Last year, the government declared August 5 as Youm-e-Istehsal of occupied Kashmir’s residents, in order to register protest against Indian government’s decision to strip occupied Kashmir of its autonomy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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