Nation stands with Kashmiris, says Alvi

ISLAMABAD:

Reiterating Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris, President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said the entire nation stood with Kashmiris.

“It is our firm belief that the Kashmiris will succeed in their valiant struggle to secure freedom from oppression and illegal occupation,” he said.

The head of state highlighted that over 900,000 Indian occupation forces had turned IIOJK into an open prison. “India was using state terrorism against Kashmiris including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, staged encounters and search operations.”

He added that, “For more than seven decades, IIOJK has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear, and of sacrifice against tyranny but through all of it, the Kashmiri people have persisted and stood firm in the face of continuing Indian campaign of brutalisation which has used every inhuman tactic and draconian laws to perpetuate the illegal occupation IIOJK.”

On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan who poses as an “Ambassador of Kashmir” has reassured Pakistan’s all possible support to Kashmiri people and urged the international community to make India accountable for its heinous crimes in IIOJK.

“It is time for the international community to make India accountable for its heinous crimes in IIOJK and to work towards a just and peaceful settlement of the IIOJK dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he said.

The prime minister added that IIOJK was an internationally recognised dispute, the resolution of which was firmly anchored in the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

“Human rights situation in IIOJK had continued to worsen following India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019. The inhuman military siege, which has remained in place for almost two and a half years now, has resulted in the martyrdom of hundreds of Kashmiris,” PM Imran said.

Terming Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said the government will keep raising voice for the freedom of Kashmiri people across the globe.

In his message, he said the whole nation, was expressing solidarity with the Kashmiris. “We stand by our Kashmiri brethren.”

The governor went on to say that no effort will be spared to expose the atrocities of the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the hapless Kashmiri people.

Governor Chauhdry highlighted that he had raised the Kashmir issue on every international forum including UK Parliament and European Union.

In his Kashmir Solidarity Day message, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said lasting peace in South Asia is not possible without resolving the core issue of Kashmir.

The provincial chief executive regretted that the oppressed Kashmiris continued to be massacred due to the continued criminal silence of the UN.

“It is not possible to suppress the struggle for freedom in Indian Occupied Kashmir now,” he emphasised. “The whole nation is siding with the struggle of Kashmiris for independence and will always remain so.”

CM Buzdar reiterated that Pakistan will continue its diplomatic support to Kashmiris by raising the issue of state-sponsored atrocities in IIOJK at every forum.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also paid tribute to the Kashmiris for their struggle and sacrifices in IIOJK.

In his message on Kashmir Day issued here, he maintained that Kashmiris were struggling for their right to self-determination. “Kashmiris sacrificed their lives for this cause and left their homes. The struggle continues,” Governor Ismail said. “Indian state-terrorism was killing innocent Kashmiris, who were also being extra-judicially killed.”

Ismail observed that India had failed to thrash Kashmiris in spite of brutalism. “Pakistan had raised the issue of Kashmir at every form and Prime Minister Imran Khan was playing his role as an ambassador of Kashmiris.”

He urged the UN to play its part in resolving the issue of IIOK under UN resolutions to pave the way for peace and stability in the region.

Balochistan Governor Syed Zahoor Ahmed Agha on Friday stated that the purpose of celebrating Kashmir Day on February 5 is to express solidarity with Kashmiri brethren and supporting their struggle for right to self-determination.

In his message issued in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, he said the whole world knows that Pakistan has been raising the issue of Kashmir in every forum of the world.

Agha said the world should play their role to address the Kashmir cause under charter of UN because solution of IIOJK was important for interest of Asia peace.

“Our Kashmiri brothers have been fighting for their right to self-determination for a long time”, he said adding that they are still fighting for their independence with utmost patience and perseverance in the face of all these atrocities and difficult circumstances.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, in his Kashmir Solidarity Day message said the struggle of Kashmiri people is in accordance with all international laws which the UN has recognised while giving the Kashmiris their right to self-determination.

Bizenjo said Pakistan has been supporting their Kashmiri brothers’ right to self-determination from the very beginning. “The dream of peace in the region can only be realised if the Kashmir issue is resolved according to the wishes of Kashmiris.”

He also highlighted how the Kashmir issue is a fundamental dispute between Pakistan and India, adding that peace is not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman has urged the world community to understand in depth the worst situation prevailing in IIOJK and play its imperative role in finding a solution to the long lingering issue.

“India needs to be stopped from committing further brutalities and state terror against innocent Kashmiris,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue supporting Kashmiris in getting their right to self-determination.

“On Kashmir Solidarity Day, I reaffirm that the people of K-P and the entire nation stands united with Kashmiris and will continue expressing solidarity with them until they achieve their inalienable right of self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

Chief Minister of K-P Mahmood Khan also expressed solidarity with the people of IIOJK in their struggle to get right of self-determination.

In a message issued on the occasion of Youm-e-Yekjehti Kashmir on Friday, the K-P CM said we are standing beside people of Kashmir in their struggle of independence.

The chief minister urged international human rights organisations to play their due role in ensuring the implementation of UN resolutions.

He said peace in the region is linked with the resolution of Kashmir issue and no durable peace would be ensured without its settlement.

Reiterating the resolve to extend moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of Kashmir, he said the over seven-decade long struggle of independence by the oppressed Kashmiris is unprecedented.

Pakistan officially celebrates Kashmir Solidarity Day to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs and express solidarity with Kashmiri people in IIOJK.