Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day today, renewing its pledge to stand with the Kashmiri people in their struggle for the right to self-determination.
Across the country, rallies, seminars, and demonstrations are being held, while human chains are being formed at all entry points to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). A minute of silence was observed at 10 a.m. to honor the martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement.
In a message marking the occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized Pakistan’s continued moral, diplomatic, and political backing for the people of Kashmir, reaffirming their right to self-determination as recognized by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. He noted that Pakistanis worldwide stand united with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in this just struggle.
President Zardari recalled that Kashmir Solidarity Day was first observed 36 years ago, following the historic uprising in Kashmir in 1989, a movement that continues today. He urged the international community to pressure India to stop human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, citing India’s intensified administrative and legislative measures, restrictions on media freedom, detention of Kashmiri leaders, and efforts to change the region’s demographic composition.
Highlighting reports of serious human rights abuses, the president mentioned arbitrary detentions, collective punishments, and punitive house demolitions. He also noted restrictions on digital freedoms, including the blocking of thousands of social media accounts, as part of attempts to conceal the realities on the ground.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed calls for resolving the Kashmir dispute in line with UNSC resolutions, urging the global community to ensure the Kashmiri people can exercise their right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under United Nations supervision.
He announced that the government has increased the monthly subsistence allowance for Kashmiri refugees to Rs5,000 and is carrying out a pilot project to build 750 residential houses at a cost of Rs3 billion, with land provided by the AJK government exclusively for Jammu and Kashmir refugees.
“The complete rehabilitation of Jammu and Kashmir refugees is a national responsibility, and Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiri people until they achieve their right to self-determination,” the prime minister added.
Armed Forces Reiterate Support
The Chief of Defence Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, on behalf of the armed forces, reaffirmed their unwavering support for the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement released by ISPR, they strongly condemned grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and attempts to alter the region’s demographic and political makeup.
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The service chiefs stressed that a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, consistent with UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, is crucial for lasting peace and stability in South Asia. They urged the international community to take meaningful action to alleviate the suffering of Kashmiris and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty while standing in solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
“Long live Pakistan! Long live Kashmir!” they affirmed.
Kashmir a Core Issue
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq described the Kashmir dispute as a fundamental issue arising from the unfinished promises of the subcontinent’s partition, emphasizing that lasting peace in South Asia cannot be achieved without granting Kashmiris their internationally recognized right to self-determination.
Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam, along with leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), held a press conference to pay tribute to Kashmiris who have suffered imprisonment, destruction of homes, and loss of family members. He announced that the traditional human chain would be formed at Kohala Bridge to symbolize the bond between Pakistanis and Kashmiris.
