RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: In order to commemorate ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’, the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh held a virtual conference on February 5, 2021.
The objective was to show solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers as well as to highlight different aspects of the Kashmir dispute, human rights violations, and continued atrocities being committed by the Indian Armed Forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since August 5, 2019.
The event was attended by a large number of Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora including a cross-section of academics and media.
The speakers paid tribute to the sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiri community in their struggle for the right to self-determination.
While highlighting the grave human rights situation in IIOJ&K, the participants called upon India to stop brutalizing the innocent Kashmiris who were suffering under its illegal occupation for the last seven decades.
The speakers condemned India’s brazen violations of UN Security Council’s resolutions and called for the immediate intervention of the international community for putting an end to state repression and holding of a fair and impartial plebiscite to determine will of Kashmiri people in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
They also highlighted the evil tactics being undertaken by India to change the demographic profile of IIOJ&K by issuing domiciles and voting rights to Indians, as well as confiscating the land and properties of the local Kashmiri people under the garb of COVID-19 lockdown.
Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz emphasized that Jammu & Kashmir was an internationally recognized “disputed” territory, as affirmed by a number of UN Security Council resolutions.
The ambassador said that Pakistan’s government and its people remain fully committed to the Kashmir cause. Pakistan would always remain the voice of conscience in the world for the rights of Kashmiri brothers and sisters and Kashmir’s cause will come to fruition. Over and above its seven decades-long occupation and oppression in the IIOJ&K, India’s recent policy has been to alter the internationally recognized disputed status of IIOJ&K, as well as to change the demographics of the Muslim majority state.
To this end, India revoked Article 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution on August 5, 2019, and passed Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Order, which would allow citizens from other states to become permanent residents of the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Since August 5, 2019, Kashmiris are subjected to brute force, oppression, and unending military siege.
The ambassador said that contrary to Indian claims of bringing development to the Kashmir valley, the real motive remains altering the demographics of the Muslim majority territory in pursuance of the BJP government’s extremist Hindutva ideology.
Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz noted that the world is now recognizing the extremist nature of the present Indian Government and their continued oppression against Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. That day is not far when Kashmiris will attain their right to self-determination.
The ambassador reassured the Kashmiri brothers and sisters that they were not alone in their rightful struggle and Pakistan will continue to stand with them till the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.
