ISLAMABAD – President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have reaffirm their unwavering moral, diplomatic and political support for Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their just cause to achieve the right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
In their separate messages, they urged the international community to move beyond mere expressions of concern for the Kashmiri people and persuade India to stop the human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
President Zardari recalled that the observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day was initiated 36 years ago by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto following the historic Kashmiri uprising of 1989, a movement that continues to this day.
He said that for nearly eight decades they have remained steadfast in the face of what he termed illegal Indian occupation, rendering immense sacrifices for their fundamental rights and freedoms.
He expressed deep concern over the prevailing situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), stating that the unilateral and illegal actions of August 5, 2019 had further aggravated the plight of the Kashmiri people.
He said India had intensified efforts to entrench its control through administrative and legislative measures, curbing media freedoms, incarcerating Kashmiri leadership and attempting to alter the demographic composition of the territory.
The president also highlighted what he described as grave human rights violations by Indian occupation forces, citing international reports that point to a rise in arbitrary detentions, collective punishment and punitive house demolitions.
He added that the suppression of digital freedoms, including the blocking of thousands of social media accounts, reflected attempts to conceal the realities on the ground.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Commander of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu reaffirmed their unwavering support for the resilient people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their epic struggle for self-determination.
On the solemn occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, the Pakistan Armed Forces strongly condemned grave violations of human rights in IIOJK, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and attempts to alter the demographic and political landscape of the region, with blatant disregard for international law.
“We reiterate that a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, remains essential for lasting peace and stability in South Asia. The international community must take concrete and meaningful action to alleviate the suffering of the Kashmiri people.”
The Armed Forces of Pakistan remain steadfast in their duty to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and unwavering in their solidarity with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their rightful quest for freedom and dignity.
