ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: In his message on Kashmir Black Day, Prime Minister Imran Khan has reassured the Kashmiri brothers and sisters that Pakistan will continue to provide all possible support and stand shoulder to shoulder with them till the realization of their legitimate and inalienable right to self-determination.
Pakistan and millions of Kashmiris observe the Kashmir Black Day every October 27 to condemn the beginning of the illegal occupation of parts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir by India.
It is also a day to commemorate the countless sacrifices Kashmiris have made and continue to make as they resist the inhuman occupation and subjugation by India against their will. India’s illegal occupation was meant to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people to freely determine their future but even after seven decades of brutal rule by the Indian Occupation Forces, the will of the Kashmiris remains strong.
“We salute Kashmiri men, women, and children for their resolve, courage, and determination. Kashmiris are an inspiration for all freedom-loving people in the world. The long outstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been on the agenda of the UN Security Council (UNSC) since January 1948,” the prime minister said.
The prime minister said that it is an internationally recognized dispute as affirmed by numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
Having accepted the UNSC resolutions and despite the solemn commitments made by the government of India to the Security Council, Pakistan, other states, and to the people of Jammu & Kashmir Indian unilateral action of August 5, 2019 shows its sheer disregard of international law, global community, aspirations of Kashmiri People let alone the UNSC Resolutions.
The prime minister said that unfortunately, today’s India is ruled by the RSS ideology whose extremist worldview has no place for Muslims or other minorities. This has led the ruling BJP to resort to more brutal ways for suppression of Kashmiri voices being raised to attain their well-deserved right of self-determination, he said.
Imran Khan said that it has been 815 days since India imposed a military siege, media blackout, and other restrictions along with unilateral and illegal action of August 5, 2019.
The prime minister said that the human suffering in the shape of extra-judicial killings in fake encounters, rape, and other gross violations of human rights is unspeakable.
The introduction of Domicile Laws by the Indian government to change the demography of the Valley shows the Indian intention to change the ground realities regarding this internationally recognized dispute.
Pakistan in the past two years has firmly opposed such Indian actions and unequivocally supported the rights of oppressed Kashmiris. Pakistan has raised the Jammu & Kashmir issue at every forum including the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and bilaterally with important world leaders and capitals.
Significantly, for the first time in 55 years, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been deliberated upon by the UN Security Council. The UNSC has thrice taken up the dispute thereby debunking the false Indian claim that it is an “internal” matter of India.
Today, there is increased scrutiny and censure of India by the international community including the UN and other human rights bodies. But it is not enough. The dossier on India’s human rights violations in IIOJK that Pakistan unveiled last month should be an eye-opener for the world.
It has irrefutable evidence of India’s rogue behavior. The UN Security Council has the responsibility to take steps to ensure the implementation of its resolutions, enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to realize their right to self-determination.
The prime minister said that a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, is indispensable for durable peace and stability in South Asia.
“I also urge the international community to play its role in pressing India to stop forthwith its human rights violations in IIOJK, and let the Kashmiris decide their own future in accordance with UNSC Resolutions,” he said.
