ISLAMABAD: The political leadership of Pakistan on Thursday reaffirmed unwavering solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day.
They strongly condemnec what they described as ongoing human rights violations by Indian forces.
In separate messages, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, and Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori reiterated Pakistan’s full support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
President Zardari said that serious human rights abuses continue in IIOJK, including arbitrary detentions and collective punishments, as highlighted in international reports. He noted that restrictions on media, mass arrests of political leaders, demolition of homes, and curbs on digital freedoms were deliberate attempts to suppress the truth.
The president recalled that the formal observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day began in 1989 under the leadership of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that the Kashmir issue remains a long-standing unresolved dispute on the United Nations agenda. He said multiple UN Security Council resolutions clearly recognize Kashmir as a disputed territory and call for a free and impartial plebiscite to determine its future. The prime minister termed India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, illegal and a blatant violation of the UN Charter.
AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore said February 5 symbolizes the deep and enduring bond between the people of Pakistan and Kashmir. He stated that Kashmiris had linked their future with Pakistan even before the creation of the country and that Indian oppression had failed to weaken their resolve.
He urged the international community to take immediate notice of Indian actions in the occupied territory.
Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori paid tribute to the martyrs of Kashmir and reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued moral, political, and diplomatic support for Kashmiris. He said Pakistan would continue to raise its voice at all international forums in support of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions.
Across Pakistan, rallies, seminars, and special events were being held to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, underscoring the nation’s commitment to standing with the Kashmiri people until a just and peaceful resolution of the dispute is achieved.
