On Kashmir Black Day, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. They called for a just and peaceful settlement of the longstanding dispute according to United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
President Zardari urged the international community, especially the United Nations and human rights groups, to pay serious attention to the rights situation in IIOJK. He said Pakistan will keep giving moral, diplomatic and political backing and will continue raising the voice of Kashmiris at every suitable global platform. The president noted that Kashmir Black Day is not only a day of remembrance but also a time to renew the commitment to a fair solution. He stressed that lasting peace and progress in South Asia depend on resolving this issue in line with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the people.
He paid tribute to the sacrifices made by generations of Kashmiris who have faced conflict, restrictions, violence and repression since Indian forces landed in Srinagar on 27 October 1947. President Zardari expressed deep concern over ongoing limits on basic freedoms, heavy militarisation, arrests and reported rights violations. He pointed out that conditions have grown worse since 5 August 2019 when India changed the constitutional status of the territory.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif repeated that Pakistan’s stand on Jammu and Kashmir is clear and consistent. He said true peace and stability in the region are impossible without a just resolution of the dispute. The premier recalled that the people of IIOJK have been denied their right to self-determination as promised in UN Security Council resolutions. He condemned efforts to silence political voices and the long detention of leaders, activists and rights defenders.
PM Shehbaz also criticised the unilateral steps taken since August 2019 that affect the political, legal and demographic nature of the area and place heavy restrictions on freedoms. He paid heartfelt tribute to the Kashmiri men, women and children who have suffered for their rights and expressed hope that their future will bring peace, dignity and the fulfilment of self-determination.
