Kathmandu .Today, Pakistan Embassy organized a talk programme on “Consequences of Illegal Occupation” to commemorate the Kashmir Black Day. Seventy-four years ago, on 27th October 1947 India deployed troops to Srinagar in an unlawful intervention and illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Since then Pakistan and Kashmiris observe this day as “Kashmir Black Day”. Prominent politicians, analysts, scholars and eminent journalists participated in an hour long programme.
In his message, President Arif Alvi paid tribute to the Kashmiris on their resilience in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. President Alvi highlighted Indian state terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), human right violations and illegal & unilateral actions to deprive the Kashmiri people of their economic, political and land rights and change of demography of the IIOJK.
In his message, Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolute support for the Kashmiri brothers and sisters. He reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kashmiri people until realization of their legitimate and inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Prime Minister Khan demanded immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blockade as well as rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK in violation of numerous UNSC resolutions.
Prime Minister Khan called for the release of all those arbitrarily arrested and illegally incarcerated. He also called for the immediate repeal of draconian laws providing impunity to Indian occupation forces. He demanded access for international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as the international media, so as to investigate the grave human rights situation in the occupied territory.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi highlighted that IIOJK had been under continuous Indian military siege for the last 18 months, with Kashmiris virtually caged in their own houses, reeling under communications blockade, and facing severe media restrictions. Kashmiri leadership remained incarcerated. Under the suffocating military siege and in the face of ravaging Covid-19 pandemic, Indian army had continued cordon-and-search operations, staged fake “encounters”, and indulged in a killing spree of Kashmiri youth in IIJOK which had further accentuated the grave humanitarian tragedy there.
The Charge d’Affaires (a.i.) Adnan Javed Khan recalled the genesis of the long-festering dispute and numerous UNSC resolutions which enshrined the promise not just from the United Nation but from the international community to the people of Jammu and Kashmir about their right to self-determination. The non-implementation of these resolutions had subjected several generations of the people of IIOJK to grave injustices, sufferings and jeopardized the peace and stability of the entire region.
Speaking at the event, participants expressed serious concerns on the media / information blockade, use of pellet guns, arrest of Kashmiri leadership and other inhuman actions of Indian government which have been well documented in UN High Commissioner on Human Rights reports. Miscellaneous reportings of Amnesty International and other international human right organizations were also taken into account and India’s repressive measures in the disputed territory were criticized.
Unresolved status of Jammu and Kashmir dispute has posed the biggest challenge to peace in South Asia, ever since the Pakistan & India came into being in 1947 and the UN Security Council passed several resolutions for resolving the dispute in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu Kashmir.
