ISLAMABAD, FEB 04 (DNA) : Kashmir Solidarity Day is being observed on Wednesday to express wholehearted support of Pakistani nation to the just struggle of Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination under United Nations resolutions.
It is a public holiday in Pakistan today to highlight the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people and remind the world community of its obligations towards the resolution of the longstanding dispute.
This time the day is being observed after India revoked the special status of occupied Kashmir in August last year to breach of all international laws, and since then the entire population of the held territory has been under lockdown. The military curfew in the held Valley has entered 185th day.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the special session of AJK Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiri brethren.
Human chains were formed at Kohala, Mangla, Holar and Azad Pattan points linking Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. In the federal capital, the citizens formed a human chain at D-Chowk to express solidarity with their oppressed Kashmiri brethren while sirens were blared in different cities.
Rallies, public meetings, and seminars are being held across the country, including Azad Kashmir to draw attention of the world community towards grave human rights violations and brutalities against innocent Kashmiris by the Indian security forces.
Banners highlighting the plight of innocent Kashmiris have been put on display at all important points and roads all over the country.
Messages
President Dr. Arif Alvi and the Prime Minister Imran Khan in their separate messages on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day have reaffirmed Pakistan’s unflinching support for Kashmiri brothers and sisters who have been subjected to an inhuman lockdown and communications blockade for six months.
President Dr. Arif Alvi said through its illegal and unilateral actions of August 5 last year, India directly contravened the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
The Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message said India has turned 8 million Kashmiris into prisoners in their own land through the deployment of over 900,000 occupation troops.
Imran Khan said India stands before the world, exposed as a majoritarian and authoritarian polity, tramping upon the basic rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people.
He said Pakistan demands immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blackout as well as rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions.
The Prime Minister said all those illegally arrested and incarcerated should be released and the draconian laws enabling impunity to Indian occupation forces be immediately repealed.
Dr. Arif Alvi said: Today, we express our solidarity with brave and resilient people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir who have rendered unmatched sacrifices for their legitimate right to self-determination over the course of past seven decades in an indomitable struggle for freedom from oppression. It has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear, and of sacrifice against tyranny; but through all of it, the Kashmiri people have persisted, unrelenting and proud like they have always been, to deny India the perverse gratification of subjugating them. On 5 August, India absolved itself of the last pretense of civility and justice be trying to deprive the Kashmiri people of their very identity. Through its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, India directly contravened the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and tried to further brutalize the Kashmiri people and take additional measures to deny them their legitimate right to self-determination as promised by the international community through those Resolutions. The world, hoverer, has rejected India’s treacherous behaviour and its sham democracy now stands exposed in front of the international community. Pakistan will continue to raise the issue of Jammu & Kashmir at every available forum. India’s illegal actions of August 5 have further strengthened the bond between the people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan. The Government and the people of Pakistan will continue to extend their political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people until they get their legitimate right to self-determination as per the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
PM Imran Khan said: Today, we observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day to reaffirm our unflinching support for our Kashmiri brothers and sisters who have been subjected to an inhuman lockdown and communications blockade for six months now. The unprecedented length of these restrictions has fully exposed the ‘fiction’ of India’s democracy and its scant regard for basic human norms. The Kashmiris, the Muslim Ummah, Pakistan and the international community have rejected India’s travesty of law and justice. India has turned 8 million Kashmiris into prisoners in their own land through the deployment of over 900,000 occupation troops. History has few precedents of such suffocation and violation of the fundamental rights at this scale. Tens of thousands of innocent people have been arbitrarily detained and thousands of young boys abducted and incarcerated at undisclosed locations. This is a true manifestation of Indian stat-terrorism. The international community, major human rights organizations and the international media have been unanimous in their condemnation of India’s unacceptable actions. India stands before the world, exposed as a majoritarian and authoritarian polity, tramping upon the basic rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan demands immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blackout as well as rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions. All those illegally arrested and incarcerated should be released and the draconian laws enabling impunity to Indian occupation forces be immediately repealed. The international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as international media, should be allowed access to evaluate the human rights situation in the occupied territory. We urge the international community to play its role in ensuring respect for the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people and averting grave risks to global peace and security posed by India’s belligerent rhetoric and aggressive action. We express our unshakable solidarity with the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and assure that Pakistan will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them. Pakistan will continue its full moral, political and diplomatic support until the Kashmiri people have realized their legitimate right of self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Charter and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said: The just struggle of the people of India-occupied Kashmir for their freedom and right to self-determination is praiseworthy. Pakistan will continue playing its role to shake the conscience of the international community to raise the voice of Kashmiris and will continue its unwavering support. Kashmir Day is being observed to highlight the brutalities that India is committing in the held Valley to curb the rights of the people of Kashmir. The occupied land has been turned into a jail as millions of Kashmiris are imprisoned. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has also admitted the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said: The international community must do more to support the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in this time of trial and tribulation. Each additional second on the lockdown clock is a burden on the world’s collective conscience. The international community must act in support of the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris and urge India to allow the UN Fact Finding Mission to occupied Kashmir to ascertain the reports of grave human rights violations there.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said: Kashmir Solidarity Day being observed today, reminds of the ultimate oppression of the Indian security forces on the people of the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, when on 21st January, 1990 they opened fire on the demonstrators protesting against the rape of a woman by Indian security forces personnel. The incident created unprecedented outrage within the occupied valley, Pakistan and across the world wherever the Kashmiri diaspora lived. In Pakistan, a complete strike was observed on 5th of February, 1991. Since then Kashmir Solidarity Day is observed every year with the objective of expressing solidarity with the people of IOJ&K and to sensitize the world about their obligations towards the people of Kashmir. This year, Kashmir Solidarity Day comes at a time when the whole Valley is under siege since 5th of August 2019, after the illegal and unilateral decision of India to revoke the special status of IOJ&K, in an attempt to further consolidate its illegal occupation of the territory. Indian action constitutes an affront to the conscience of world community as it practically nullifies UN resolutions on Kashmir. For Pakistan, Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of the partition of the subcontinent. Pakistan has been extending moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir and would continue to do so till they get their just right of self-determination. Pakistan desires a peaceful solution of the issue in consonance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The United Nations and international community must take notice of Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir and take cognizance of the plight of innocent Kashmiris.
Interior Minister Ijaz Shah said: The solution of Kashmir dispute is mandatory for regional peace. Pakistan and India s relations cannot be normalized without achieving a reapproachment on this matter. For years, we have fought and then made peace; but the recent decision taken by the Indian Government, on 5th August 2019, that revoked the Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution has not only undermined humanity but has also brought International attention to the Kashmir dispute once again. India’s justification of revocation that it will enable the people of Kashmir to access the government programs that include the right to education and right to information, gets nullified by the forced cutting of communication lines and imposition of curfew in the valley. This is not only inhumane but ironic and tragic at the same time. The revocation has not only changed the status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir but has snatched away the identity of Kashmiris as well. Pakistan has given the message of peace on all fronts but the recent irresponsible statements from Narendra Modi reflects the extremist mindset that they are following. Let it be very clear that we are fully capable of defending our land on all fronts and our peaceful approach should not be confused with our weakness. Pakistan has raised voice for its Kashmiri brothers at all forums and Prime Minister Imran Khan has become Ambassador of Kashmir, from UNGA Address to all other forums, he has availed every single opportunity to raise his voice for Kashmiris and peaceful solution of the matter. On this day, we reinforce our support for the Kashmiri brothers and promise that we will stand with them on all forums. Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmir cause unless a solution is achieved. We hope and pray that the people of Kashmir get their rights soon and bear the fruit of their prolonged struggle.
Minister of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur said: On the occasion of the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the Government and the people of Pakistan reiterate their continued and steadfast political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir in their heroic struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination. It is a struggle that commenced more than seven decades ago with the recognition of the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination by the United Nations Security Council. It is a struggle that has seen the Kashmiris render unmatched sacrifices in pursuit of a noble objective that has been denied to them by India for three generations. On August 5, instead of making progress towards the resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, India undertook illegal and unilateral actions in direct contravention of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Kashmir, a reminder of the RSS inspired Hindutva mindset of the present Indian Government which marginalizes minorities. Eight million people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir have since been turned into prisoners in their own homes under an inhuman lockdown and communication blackout that has persisted for six months. As a consequence, India stands exposed before the comity of nations as an aggressor and an outlier, its thin veneer of being a so-called democracy has all but worn off and its claims of secularism ring hollow. All through this ordeal the people of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir have exhibited a resilience and fortitude that cannot be expected of anyone but them and Pakistan has stood by them through it all. Jammu & Kashmir is the core dispute between India and Pakistan. Peace in the region will not be achieved until the resolution of this dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan reminds the international community to take notice of India’s illegal and inhuman actions in IOJ&K and urge India to fulfill the promise it made to the United Nations, to Pakistan and to the people of Jammu & Kashmir by implementing the UN Security Council Resolutions which remains the only solution to the Jammu & Kashmir dispute. Pakistan will continue full political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of IOJ&K until the realization of their right to self-determination.
