ISLAMABAD:President Asif Ali Zardari called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights organisations, to take due cognisance of the human rights situation in THE Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, support efforts for the protection of the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people and contribute meaningfully towards a just, peaceful and lasting resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
He reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend its unwavering moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of IIOJK.
“We will continue to raise their voice at every appropriate international forum and to advocate the realisation of their legitimate aspirations,” the president said in a message on observance of Kashmir Black Day on October 27.
The president said Jammu and Kashmir Black Day is, therefore, not merely a day of remembrance. It is also an occasion to reaffirm their commitment to a peaceful and just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Lasting peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia remain closely linked to the resolution of this longstanding dispute, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, he emphasised.
Today, the president said they paid tribute to the countless sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and reaffirmed their solidarity with the Kashmiri brothers and sisters, adding Pakistan stands with them in the pursuit of justice, peace, dignity and the realisation of the legitimate right to self-determination.
“The day is not far off when the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be able to determine their own future in accordance with their aspirations and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will move towards a just and peaceful resolution,” he added.
On Jammu and Kashmir Black Day, the president said they solemnly remembered 27 October 1947, when Indian forces landed in Srinagar, marking the beginning of a prolonged and tragic chapter in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
This day reaffirmed their recognition of the longstanding aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the continued pursuit of the fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination, he added.
The president observed that for the past eight decades, the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) had endured profound sufferings, marked by violence, repression and serious violations of fundamental rights.
Generations of Kashmiris have made immense sacrifices in their pursuit of justice, dignity and freedom. Their resilience and determination in the face of adversity remained a testament to the enduring strength of their cause, he added.
President Zardari further said that since 27 October 1947, the people of IIOJK had endured decades of conflict, restrictions and denial of their fundamental rights. The continuing restrictions on fundamental freedoms, heightened militarisation, arrests and reports of human rights violations remain a matter of serious concern and underscore the need for sustained international attention.
The situation had further deteriorated since August 5, 2019, when India unilaterally attempted to alter the constitutional and legal status of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.