ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is observing Kashmir Solidarity Day today (Wednesday) to express unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s struggle for self-determination as promised in the United Nations’ resolutions.
The day is marked by a public holiday every year on February 5, with solidarity walks taking place across the country and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with a renewed commitment to their just struggle for freedom from Indian subjugation.
In Islamabad, a rally is set to be held at Constitution Avenue. At 10am, sirens will sound, and a minute of silence will be observed in tribute to Kashmiri martyrs.
Posters and billboards highlighting the plight of Kashmiris have been placed at key locations, including airports and railway stations.
In Muzaffarabad, the AJK Legislative Assembly will hold a special session to express solidarity with those in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK).
Human chains will be formed at Mangla, Kohala, Bararkot, Azad Pattan, and Holar, symbolising unity between Pakistan and AJK. A special function will take place at Mangla Bridge in Mirpur, with similar events planned in Kotli and Bhimber districts.
In his message on Kashmir Solidarity Day, President Asif Ali Zardari said this day reminds the international community of its responsibility towards the oppressed Kashmiri people.
He said the United Nations should honour the promises made to the Kashmiris 78 years ago and support their struggle for their right to self-determination.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government and people of Pakistan annually observed the ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ to renew their steadfast support to the Kashmiri people’s just and legitimate struggle for realising their right to self-determination.
He said that in the interest of durable peace in South Asia, the international community should urge India to allow the Kashmiri people to freely determine their own future as a lasting peace could not be achieved by suppressing the genuine aspirations of the local people.
“The recent developments in the Middle East showed that the long-standing disputes should not be allowed to fester,” the prime minister said in a message on Kashmir Solidarity Day.
A statement issued by the PM Office quoted PM Shehbaz as saying: “The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law. Every year, the UN General Assembly adopts a resolution that stresses the legal right of people to decide their own destiny”.
The prime minister said that the Kashmiri people had not been able to exercise this right, notwithstanding the passage of the last seventy-eight years.
“Today, the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remains one of the most-militarised zones in the world. Kashmiris are living in an environment of fear and intimidation.”
The prime minister said the political activists and human rights defenders faced prolonged detention and confiscation of properties, adding the political parties, representing the genuine aspirations of the Kashmiri people, had been banned. The intent of these oppressive measures was to crush dissent, he added.
The PM further said that India was also taking steps to consolidate its illegal occupation of the IIOJK.
“Following its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, India’s efforts have been aimed at engineering demographic and political changes so that the Kashmiris transform into a disempowered community in their own land,” he added.
The prime minister reiterated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute would remain a key pillar of their foreign policy.
“Pakistan will continue to offer its unwavering moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people till the realisation of their right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” he reiterated.
The prime minister also saluted the resolve and courage of the valiant Kashmiri people, who continued to render innumerable sacrifices in their struggle to achieve their fundamental rights and freedoms.
Armed forces reaffirm support for Kashmiris
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad, the services chiefs and the Pakistan armed forces also reaffirmed their unwavering support for the resilient people of IIOJK in their struggle for self-determination, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
They also paid tribute to the indomitable spirit of the Kashmiri people, who have endured decades of oppression, state-sponsored brutality, and egregious human rights violations.
“Their unwavering resolve in the face of tyranny remains a beacon of courage and inspiration for the entire nation,” the military’s media wing statement read.
The military’s media wing said that the armed forces of Pakistan strongly condemn the ongoing grave violations of human rights in IIOJK, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions.
These transgressions stand as a stark indictment of India’s blatant disregard for international law, humanitarian principles, and fundamental human rights, it added.
“We urge the international community, global human rights organisations, and the United Nations to take immediate and decisive action to address the plight of the Kashmiri people and ensure the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions by their aspirations”, the statement said while quoting CJCSC and services chiefs.
It further said that the Pakistan armed forces remain steadfast in their commitment to the just cause of Kashmir and resolute in their duty to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brethren in their rightful pursuit of freedom and dignity, it concluded. Long live Pakistan! Long live Kashmir,” the statement concluded.
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