National leadership in one voice to support Kashmiris

The civil and military leadership, the people of Pakistan as well as the Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday observed ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ was observed on the completion of two years of the military siege of IIOJK. On the day, President Arif Alvi visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as rallies were brought out across the country, while the Foreign Office handed a strong demarche to India on the situation in IIOJK.

Chargé d’Affaires of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Office to register Pakistan’s unequivocal rejection of India’s illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019, and continuing military siege and human rights violations in IIOJK.

The Chargé d’Affaires was reminded of Pakistan’s consistent stance that “the government of India must reverse its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019; immediately lift its inhuman military siege in IIOJK; stop its illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory; cease extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and cordon-and-search operations; release the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and political leadership; withdraw over 900,000 occupation troops from IIOJK; and let Kashmiris exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a fair and impartial plebiscite under auspices of the United Nations as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions”.

Meanwhile, Prime minister Imran Khan, several ministers as well as the three services chiefs issued their separate messages in support of the people of Kashmir.

Speaking during a visit to a refugee camp of the Kashmiris in AJK, President Alvi urged India to quit its “belligerent and vicious” attitude towards Pakistan for the sake of prosperity of the two nations, saying with every conspiracy, Pakistan would emerge ever stronger.

“If India thinks that it can suppress Pakistan, it is having a big misconception. Our stance on Kashmir will remain unchanged,” he said. “Pakistan will not hold talks with India unless it changes the status of Jammu and Kashmir to the pre-August 5, 2019 situation,” he added.

Taking to the microblogging website Twitter, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that despite brazen violations of all international laws, repeated human rights violations were well documented by international media and human rights organisations.

“Today marks 2 yrs since India’s unilateral & illegal actions of 5 Aug 2019 in IIOJK. In these 2 yrs the world has witnessed unprecedented oppression in IIOJK by Indian Occupation forces. It is also witnessing Indian efforts to force demographic change & destroy Kashmiri identity,” Imran said.

“Despite these brazen violations of all int[ernational] laws, repeated HR violations, well documented by int media & HR orgs, & in the face of an unprecedented ruthless military siege the Kashmiri people remain undaunted in their struggle for self-determination,” he added.

Imran said that the government and the people of Pakistan “salute their Kashmiri brothers & sisters for their sacrifices in their determined & legitimate struggle for their inalienable rights” as enshrined in the UN charter and recognised in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

He added he had raised the voice of Kashmiris at the world stage and would continue to do so till Kashmiris were allowed to decide their future according to UNSC resolutions. “Pak will continue to fight the Kashmiris' case with conviction & InshaAllah Kashmiris' struggle will succeed,” he said.

He warned that the Indian government’s barbarism in IIOJK was inspired by its RSS Hindutva ideology. “Today India is destroying regional stability through its rogue actions & state sponsored terrorism in contravention of all international laws & norms.”

In Muzaffarabad, a rally was taken out from the Prime Minister House. AJK President Sardar Masood Khan and newly-elected Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi led the rally. A large number of people also staged a sit-in at Shaheed Burhan Muzaffar Wani Chowk to mark the day.

PHOTO: RP

In Islamabad, the Kashmir solidarity rally was held in front of the Parliament House. Addressing the rally, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that the whole nation expressed solidarity with the struggle of innocent Kashmiris in IIOJK for the last 70 years against Indian aggression.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told the rally that Pakistan would never back down from its stand on Kashmir. He added that today the Pakistani nation wanted to send a message to the people of Occupied Kashmir that Pakistan was behind them.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan would not relent in its support until the Kashmiris realise their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Qureshi said that peace and prosperity of region had been held hostage to the gross and systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK. Pakistan, he added, called upon the international community to hold India accountable for its crimes against Kashmiris.

Read More: Pakistan hails EU Parliament's letter on worsening humanitarian situation in IIOJK

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Kashmir Committee Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi planted a tree in the lawn of the Parliament House in the name of well-known Hurriyat leader Ashraf Sahrai. On the occasion, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had exposed true face of India to the world.

He condemned India’s moves to put pressure on the international players, participating in the Kashmir Premier League (KPL). The KPL would be held from Friday (today) to showcase the talent of Kashmiri youth, he added.

On Youm-e-Istehsal, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said: “Continuation of inhuman military siege, machinations to bring demographic changes and gross violations of human rights and international laws are perpetuating humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K that imperil regional security.”

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief further said that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per the UN resolutions and as aspirations of Kashmiri people was imperative for enduring peace and stability in the region.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir on Youm-e-Istehsal, saying: “The sacrifices of the Kashmiri people will not go in vain. The Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions and wishes of people of Kashmir.”

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, in his message, said that the international community should not forget its responsibility towards the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)