Pakistan observes Black Day to denounce Indian occupation of Kashmir
Pakistanis and Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and the world over observed Black Day on Tuesday to convey to the world that India has occupied their motherland illegally and against their aspirations.
President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support to Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination.
Indian Army had invaded the state of Jammu and Kashmir on this day in 1947, in an attempt to subjugate the Kashmiri people. Since then, despite unabated Indian atrocities, New Delhi is unable to break the will of the brave people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), who are struggling for their right to selfdetermination.
On August 5 last year, India took further illegal and unilateral steps to change the internationally recognised disputed status of the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and alter its demographic structure.
According to media reports, protest marches, rallies and seminars were held in Srinagar and other parts of the occupied territory to condemn the Indian invasion as well as revocation of the special status of Kashmir by the Modi-led fascist regime.
The day was marked by complete shutdown in the territory, a call for which was given by All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Hurriyat forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Democratic Freedom Party and other profreedom organisations.
Protest rallies and demonstrations were held in all districts and tehsil headquarters of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to mark the black day.
In the State capital Muzaffarabad, a big protest demonstration was held at Central Press Club under the auspices of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell. All the three radio stations of AJK aired special programmes regarding the black day.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, while addressing an event in Muzaffarabad, called upon residents to avoid ideological differences in order to defeat Indian designs to create differences among Kashmiris.
“The enemy wants to weaken us by creating ideological friction in our ranks," he said.
PRESIDENT, PM URGE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF KASHMIR DISPUTE: In his message on the occasion of black day, President Alvi paid tribute to the sacrifices of Kashmiri people. He said that the Kashmiri people have proved that India cannot suppress their voice.
PM Imran, in his video message on the occasion, said that Kashmiris should be given the right to self-determination as was promised to them by the international community.
He expressed firm commitment to continue to raise the lingering dispute at the international level until the Kashmiris get right to self-determination.
Alluding to the illegal and unilateral steps taken by Indian government last year in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, PM Imran said that the occupied valley has been turned into a prison. A military siege has been imposed and the rights of the Kashmiri people have been usurped.
He said that India is perpetrating state terrorism not only in the IOK but also Pakistan which will be exposed before the world.
The premier said that Pakistan desires peace as it can only lead to prosperity. “We are ready but India first of all will have to lift the military siege and they will have to give the right of self-determination to Kashmiri people,” he said.
In his message on the occasion of black day, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the brave people of occupied Kashmir stand firm and steadfast in their quest for the right to selfdetermination.
The foreign minister called for urgent lifting of the military siege and media blackout in the occupied territory. He said that India should stop human rights violations and release Kashmiri leaders and youth.
The foreign minister urged the international community to pressurize India to reverse its illegal course in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and restore the Kashmiris’ fundamental human rights.
National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri have urged the United Nations (UN) to strictly implement the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir and take strict notice of ongoing Indian atrocities in the occupied territory.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris for their just cause of right to self-determination.
In a message on Kashmir Black Day on Tuesday, he said that the Pakistani nation stands by their Kashmiri brethren in their struggle against the Indian occupation. The minister said that the entire Kashmir valley has been turned into a prison by India for over a year as the people are faced with travel, communication, political and democratic restrictions and blockades.
He said that India has been committing tyrannies and barbarism in occupied Kashmir, which has unveiled the real face of India, which claims to be the largest democracy of the world.
PAKISTAN SUMMONS INDIAN DIPLOMAT: The Indian Chargé d' Affaires was summoned to Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday to register Pakistan’s strong protest on occasion of the Black Day in condemnation of the continued human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, it was demanded that the Indian government must give Kashmiris their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions which call for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices.
It was further demanded that India rescind its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, immediately lift its military siege in IOK, and reverse its illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.
The Indian side was also called upon to cease extrajudicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and so-called cordon-and-search operations and release the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and political leadership.
It was underscored that to enable an accurate assessment of the humanitarian situation in the region, India needs to immediately remove all restrictions on the media, Internet and mobile communications in IOK and allow independent observers, human rights organizations and international media unhindered access to the occupied territory.
Pakistan reiterated its position that India’s illegal steps cannot alter the disputed status of the occupied territory nor can these prejudice the Kashmiris’ inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions for which Pakistan extends the fullest support.
SENATE EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH KASHMIRIS: The upper house of the parliament passed a resolution to express full solidarity with the popular indigenous uprising of the heroic people of IOK, terming October 27 as a Black Day in the history of the Kashmiri people.