Islamabad
Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, has reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast political, diplomatic, and moral support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), as the nation marks Kashmir Black Day on 27th October.
In his message issued on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that every year, the 27th of October stands as the darkest day in the history of Kashmir, when, seventy-eight years ago, Indian occupation forces landed in Srinagar and forcibly annexed the territory a tragic chapter that continues to this day.
He said that since that fateful day, India has continued to deny the Kashmiri people their inalienable right to self-determination, as guaranteed under numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions. For nearly eight decades, the people of IIOJK have endured immense hardship and oppression, yet their indomitable spirit, courage, and resilience remain unbroken. The Prime Minister strongly condemned India’s illegal and unilateral measures of August 5, 2019, aimed at altering the demographic and political status of the occupied territory. He said that in addition to grave human rights violations, India has imposed draconian restrictions on freedom of movement and expression, and launched a systematic campaign of violence and repression to silence legitimate voices.
Shehbaz Sharif deplored the continued unlawful incarceration of prominent Kashmiri leaders, activists, and journalists under fabricated charges, terming it a blatant violation of international human rights norms. Reaffirming Pakistan’s principled and consistent stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the Prime Minister said that lasting peace and stability in South Asia cannot be achieved without its just and peaceful resolution, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
