Islamabad (GNP): On Jammu and Kashmir Black Day, observed on 27 October, the President and Prime Minister issued separate messages recalling the day in 1947 when Indian forces landed in Srinagar, which they described as the start of a long and tragic chapter for the region.
Both reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
Both leaders said that for nearly eight decades the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have lived with violence, restrictions and serious violations of their fundamental rights. Generations of Kashmiris, they said, have made great sacrifices for justice, dignity and freedom, and their resilience is a testament to the strength of their cause.
One message said that Kashmiri aspirations cannot be extinguished by coercion or repression, and paid tribute to the men, women and children who gave their lives.
The messages cited continuing curbs on basic freedoms, heavy militarisation, arrests and reports of human rights abuses, saying the situation has worsened since 5 August 2019, when India unilaterally moved to change the constitutional and legal status of the territory.
One message also raised concern over the prolonged jailing of Kashmiri political leaders, activists and human rights defenders, and called for due process, respect for basic liberties and more international attention.
According to the messages, India’s measures since August 2019 have affected the territory’s political, legal and demographic character and drawn serious international notice. Pakistan, they said, has consistently asked that these developments be handled in line with international law and the applicable Security Council resolutions.
The leaders said the day is not only for remembrance but also for renewing the commitment to a peaceful and just settlement. Lasting peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia, they said, depend on resolving the dispute under the relevant UN resolutions and according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people. They described Pakistan’s stance as clear, consistent and principled.
They urged the international community, especially the United Nations and human rights organisations, to take proper notice of the human rights situation in IIOJK, support efforts to protect Kashmiris’ fundamental rights and help bring about a just, peaceful and lasting resolution.
The government and people of Pakistan, the messages said, stand in solidarity with the people of IIOJK and will keep giving them moral, diplomatic and political support, raising their voice at every suitable national and international forum.
One message expressed confidence that the day is not far off when the Kashmiri people will determine their own future and the dispute will move toward a fair and peaceful settlement.
Also read: Pakistan Outflies 33 Nations to Take Silver in Ankara Drone Contest
Both closed with the hope that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will see a future of lasting peace, dignity and security, including the right to self-determination.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
