Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan’s civil and military leadership once again expressed their steadfast support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), as the nation observed Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir.
This day marks the anniversary of India’s unilateral move in 2019 to revoke Article 370 of its constitution, stripping the disputed region of its special status and intensifying its control over the territory.
In their separate statements, the country’s leadership unequivocally condemned India’s actions, denouncing the ongoing military presence and the grave human rights abuses committed to silence the Kashmiri people’s legitimate struggle for freedom. They emphasized that the aspirations of the Kashmiri population cannot be crushed through force or repression.
President Asif Ali Zardari said India's move on August 5, 2019 was aimed at changing the disputed status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and weakening the right of Kashmiris to self-determination
In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Youm-e-Istehsal is a sobering reminder of India's rejection of peace and stability and its pursuit of a policy of brutality and unilateralism.
He said the imprisonment of Kashmiri leaders and activists will never dim the resolve of our Kashmiri sisters and brothers.
On the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, along with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and the Pakistan Armed Forces, reaffirm their unwavering solidarity with the resilient and courageous people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
"The Armed Forces of Pakistan fully support the legitimate and ongoing struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in international law and UN Security Council resolutions," said a news release by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The continued illegal occupation of IIOJK by Indian security forces—characterized by an unrelenting military siege, systemic human rights violations, and demographic engineering—constitutes a grave breach of international norms and remains a matter of deep concern. India’s repressive actions, coupled with its belligerent posture and incendiary rhetoric, serve only to exacerbate regional instability and perpetuate human suffering, it further said.
It is unequivocally evident that durable peace in South Asia remains unattainable without the just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and relevant UN resolutions.
“The Pakistan Armed Forces pay solemn tribute to the martyrs of IIOJK and reiterate their enduring commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kashmiri people in their just and rightful struggle for freedom,” the ISPR said.