Kashmir Solidarity Day observed with zest

ISLAMABAD:

The Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed on Saturday with national zeal and zest not only in Pakistan but world over, appealing to the international human rights' watchdogs to play their due role in providing the innocent people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) their legal right to self-determination.

President Arif Alvi urged the international community to take notice of the blatant human rights violations in IIOJK, saying that the country's stance on the issue has not changed.

Events, rallies, meetings and processions held at public and private levels highlighted India's oppression.
President Alvi led a rally in the federal capital. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and the elected representatives participated in it.

Addressing the gathering, the president reiterated that the international media and delegations should be allowed to visit the occupied territory to document Indian atrocities.

"Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute as per the UN resolutions which accept the Kashmiris legal right to self-determination," the president said. "Pakistan has not backtracked on its principled position on Kashmir [IIOJK]."

He added that the country “stands firm with Kashmir as they are part of our body and our hearts beat together”.

President Alvi said that IIOJK was never and would never be a part of India, condemning Modi-led India's brutalities in the besieged valley including its efforts to change the demography of the occupied valley.

"The steps of August 5, 2019 are in contravention of all international laws including the UN Security Council resolutions," he said, warning that any Indian aggression against Pakistan would meet a befitting response.
The president, reiterating Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of IIOJK, said that Indian cruelty had been continuing unabated for the last 70 years.

India took the issue to the UN and Pakistan reposed trust in the global body to resolve it, he said, lamenting that due to the vested interests, morality had no longer any value in the world.

All the suppressed people across the world had been looking towards an organisation to come to their rescue, he added.

Alvi said there had been institutionalised crimes committed against the Kashmiris, including gang rape and the use of pellet guns.

The president dared India to use pellet guns in any part of India.

"India has been using the Israeli model to suppress the Kashmiri voices. India would not succeed in its nefarious designs," he said. “Pakistan stands with Kashmir."

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the fascist policies of the Narendra Modi-led government had failed to "crush the spirit of Kashmiri resistance" in IIOJK.

The prime minister’s tweet, on the occasion of Kashmir Day, maintained that Pakistan stood united with its “Kashmiri brothers and sisters” and was committed to their “legitimate” struggle for self-determination.

Urging the world to take notice of grave human rights violations in the occupied valley, the premier highlighted that India had committed “crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocidal acts” in Kashmir and had perpetuated the “threat of forced demographic change”, all of which was in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa paid tribute to the sacrifice and resolve of the Kashmiris.
"Time to end this human tragedy and resolve the Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of its people Jammu and Kashmir and UN resolutions," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said quoting the COAS.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi said despite all the atrocities, India's oppressive army could not shake the foundations of Kashmiri resistance.

"Kashmiris have stood their ground with courage, perseverance and determination and will continue to do so. Inshallah, victory will be the destiny of Kashmiris," he said.

He added that the whole Kashmiri nation warmly welcomed the expression of solidarity with Kashmiris by Pakistan and the Pakistani people.

"Undoubtedly, Pakistan has been an advocate of Kashmiris in their struggle for independence at every forum. In IIOJK, Indian forces have not resorted to any tactic of oppression which has not been tried on the unarmed, innocent and helpless Kashmiris," he added.

Read More: Modi's fascist policies have failed to crush Kashmiri resistance spirit: PM Imran

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the entire Pakistani nation stood united with their “Kashmiri sisters and brothers today in their struggle for realisation of their legitimate right to self-determination”.

"The brave people of Kashmir have endured every kind of brutality through Indian state terrorism," the FM said.

Qureshi has also written a letter to the president of UN Security Council and the UN secretary general, apprising them of the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJK.

The letter underlined that illegal and unilateral measures imposed by India in IIOJK on August 5, 2019, including attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, constitute flagrant violations of international law including the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council resolutions as well as the 4th Geneva Convention.

It also reaffirmed that Pakistan desired peaceful relations with all its neighbours, including India.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, in a statement, said Pakistan would continue extending its political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris struggling for independence from Indian occupation.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, in a tweet on the Kashmir Solidarity Day, said Kashmiris should be given the right to self-determination as promised in the United Nations resolutions.

Prime Minister's Special Representative for Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said the whole Pakistani nation, armed forces and government were supporting the Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle for right to self-determination.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam remarked that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah always emphasised that the state of Pakistan would not reach its fulfillment without Jammu and Kashmir.

Federal Minister for the Human Rights Dr Shireen M Mazari said all out support would be given to Kashmiri brethren in their freedom struggle.

Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati in a tweet said the international community must hold India accountable for its human rights violations in IIOJK.

Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue its unflinching support to the Kashmiri people struggling for their right to self-determination.

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that the nation had come together to express solidarity with the people of IIOJK to extend unwavering support despite the political differences.

"History tells us that the people with conviction always defeat their oppressors," the PML-N leader said.
Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a message from Srinagar on the Kashmir Solidarity Day said the people of IIOJK and the APHC leadership had always appreciated the moral, political and diplomatic support extended to their just cause by Pakistan despite facing testing times.

Peace and Culture Organisation Chairperson Mushaal Hussein Mullick also thanked the Pakistani nation for its continued moral, political, and diplomatic support to the just struggle of Kashmiris for securing their right to self-determination.