ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is observing Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir today to express unwavering solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and to condemn India’s unilateral decision of August 5, 2019, which revoked the region’s special constitutional status.
The day is observed annually to highlight Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people’s internationally recognized right to self-determination and to draw global attention to the ongoing Kashmir dispute.
On August 5, 2019, India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganized the territory. Pakistan has consistently rejected the move, calling it a violation of international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Special events, seminars, and solidarity rallies are being held across Pakistan to mark the occasion. A central rally is taking place on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, where federal ministers, members of parliament, political leaders, civil society representatives, and citizens from different walks of life are participating.
As part of the observance, sirens were sounded at 9:00 a.m., followed by a one-minute silence to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and reaffirm Pakistan’s support for their cause. Similar rallies and awareness programmes are being held in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In separate messages issued on Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering political, diplomatic, and moral support for the people of IIOJK.
They praised the courage, resilience, and determination of the Kashmiri people, stating that despite years of restrictions and hardships, they continue to struggle peacefully for their right to self-determination.
The President and Prime Minister said that the observance of Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir serves as a reminder to the international community of the consequences of India’s actions in August 2019, which Pakistan says were carried out in violation of international law and UN resolutions.
They stressed that seven years later, India’s unilateral measures have neither changed the internationally recognized disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir nor weakened the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan’s leadership reiterated that the country will continue to raise the Kashmir issue at every regional and international forum until the dispute is resolved in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The President and Prime Minister also emphasized that lasting peace and stability in South Asia cannot be achieved without a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Calling on the international community to play a more active role, they urged global powers and international human rights organizations to encourage dialogue, address the humanitarian situation in IIOJK, and support efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful and lasting resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with international law.
