Nation observes Kashmir Accession Day

President, PM reaffirm support for Kashmiris' right to self-determination

ISLAMABAD:

The 78th Kashmir Accession Day [Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan] was observed across Pakistan on Sunday with renewed calls

for the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute

in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

The day commemorates the historic resolution adopted by the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference on July 19, 1947, seeking the accession of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.

The day was marked across Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and among Kashmiri communities abroad through rallies, seminars, conferences and public gatherings, highlighting the significance of the 1947 resolution and reiterating support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate messages, reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering diplomatic, political and moral support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to play a more active role in implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and facilitating a peaceful settlement of the long-standing dispute.

Prime Minister Shehbaz described Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan as a defining milestone in the political history of Kashmir. He said the resolution adopted unanimously by the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference during its Srinagar session on July 19, 1947, reflected the collective political aspirations of the Muslims of the region and called upon the Dogra rulers to respect the will of the people by acceding to Pakistan.

He said the resolution remained an enduring symbol of the Kashmiri people's political struggle and served as a reminder of the deep historical, cultural, religious and geographical bonds linking the people of Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir. The prime minister stressed that respecting the freely expressed will of the Kashmiri

people remained central to achieving a lasting and peaceful settlement of the dispute.

Reiterating Pakistan's position, the prime minister said the country remained steadfast in its principled support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination, as recognised by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.