ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said that we renew our unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s just and legitimate struggle for the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination.
“This day reminds the international community of its responsibility towards the oppressed Kashmiri people.
The United Nations must honour the commitments it had made 77 years ago and support the Kashmiri people’s struggle for self-determination,“ the president said in his message on “Kashmir Solidarity Day”.
He said that every year, on 5th February, the people of Pakistan reaffirm solidarity with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. He said, “Pakistan will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kashmiri brothers and sisters.
We will continue to extend our full moral, diplomatic and political support to their just struggle for the realisation of their right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.“
He said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is one of the oldest unresolved international disputes as India continues to occupy large parts of Jammu and Kashmir against the will of the local people.
He said that the situation took a turn for the worse, following India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, which are aimed at transforming Kashmiris into a disempowered community in their own land.
President said, “Today, India is making efforts to consolidate its occupation of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) through a series of administrative, judicial and legislative measures. However, these actions cannot suppress the Kashmiri people’s indomitable desire for self-determination.”
“Over the last 78 years, Kashmiris have rendered countless sacrifices to exercise their democratic right to determine their own future. On this day, I pay rich tribute to the resilience of the Kashmiri people in the face of state terrorism and oppression.
The human rights situation in IIOJK is grim as India is denying the Kashmiris their fundamental rights and freedoms and subjecting them to severe state repression and violence. The people of IIOJK are living in an environment of fear and intimidation and the true representatives of the Kashmiri people remain incarcerated.
The Indian security forces use excessive force to brutally victimise political activists and human rights defenders. Media has been silenced through coercion. However, no amount of oppression can dent the determination of the Kashmiris and undermine their legitimate struggle,“ he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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