ISLAMABAD,:President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday said Pakistan wanted a peaceful resolution of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) issue in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, guaranteeing right of self-determination to the oppressed Kashmiri people.
He said the IIOJK had never been a part of India and Pakistan did not even recognize the Indian constitution, illegally enlisting the occupied territory as its part.
The president was leading a Kashmir solidarity walk participated by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir Chairman Shehryar Afridi, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, ministers, members of parliament, officers of the Foreign Office, Kashmiri leaders, media and a large number of people. The solidarity walk was taken out in front of the Ministry of Foreign Office at the Constitutional Avenue and culminated at the D-Chowk.
The participants were carrying placards and banners, and raised slogans, expressing moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.
The president said the day was not far when the oppressed people of IIOJK would get freedom from the Indian clutches.
He called upon the international community to ensure implementation of its promises made to the people of IIOJK regarding their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with their aspirations.
President Alvi said in order to suppress the freedom voices, the Indian forces had imposed a complete lockdown in the IIOJK and there had been media blackout, so that the Kashmiri voices and images highlighting continuous Indian atrocities could be gouged.
He said, “The hearts of people of Pakistan and Kashmiri people beat together, when there is bloodshed in IIOJK, the people in Pakistan are hurt.”
The president said Pakistan had been reminding the world to honour its commitment with the Kashmiri people.
Lauding the Kashmiris’ sacrifices, he said Quaid-e-Azam had termed Kashmir a jugular vein of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people were proving it by shedding their blood.
He also referred to late Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s statement that both Kashmir and Pakistan both belonged to them, saying on the day, he wanted to reinforce such feeling.
He said with August 5 actions, the Indian government had violated the UNSC resolutions, Geneva Convention and their charters. It had breached its promises made with the international community.
The president said to silence the voices, about 800,000 Indian forces in the IIOJK were conducting cordon and search operations, ensuing fake encounters with imposition of curfew whereas putting the Kashmiri leaders under house arrest. They even did not let people attend late Geelani’s funeral.
Reiterating Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of IIOJK, he said Indian cruelties had been continuing unabated for the last 70 years.
India took the issue to the United Nations and Pakistan reposed trust in the global body to resolve it, he said, lamenting that due to the vested interests, morality had no longer any value in the world.
All the suppressed people across the world had been looking towards an organization to come to their rescue, he added.
The president said there had been institutionalized crimes committed against the Kashmir people, including gang rape and use of pellet guns. He dared Indian forces to use pellet guns in any part of India.
India, he added, had been using Israeli model to suppress the Kashmiri voices.
The president also denounced the demographic changes being made in the IIOJK.
He said India would not succeed in its nefarious designs.
“Pakistan stands with Kashmir and will continue to stand as it is part of our body,” he maintained.
He opined that India had been setting itself on fire with its policies.
The president said Pakistan had given a befitting reply over the Balakot incident and was ready to respond to any Indian aggression with full force.
President Alvi reiterated that the Indian government should open the IIOJK to media, and the international delegations to witness the ground realities there.
He said holding of Kashmir Premier League showed to the world the contrasting pictures of Azad Kashmir and the IIOJK.