Kashmir Black Day observed in Kathmandu
Kathmandu, 30 October: The Pakistan Embassy organized a talk programme on “Consequences of Illegal Occupation” to commemorate Kashmir Black Day. Seventy-six years ago, on 27 October 1947, India deployed troops to Srinagar in an unlawful intervention and illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Since then, Pakistan and Kashmiris have been observing this day as “Kashmir Black Day”. Prominent analysts, scholars, and eminent journalists participated in the event.
During the programme, messages from the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan were read out to the audience present at the Embassy of Pakistan in Nepal.
In his message, President Arif Alvi paid tribute to the Kashmiris for their resilience in their just struggle for the right to selfdetermination. President Alvi highlighted Indian state terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), human rights violations, and illegal and unilateral actions to deprive the Kashmiri people of their economic, political, and land rights and change the demography of the IIOJK. In his message, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolute support for the Kashmiri brothers and sisters. He reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kashmiri people until the realization of their legitimate and inalienable right to selfdetermination by the United Nations Charter and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. The Prime Minister demanded the immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blockade, as well as, the rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK in violation of numerous UNSC resolutions.
The Prime Minister 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 to international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as the international media, to investigate the grave human rights situation in the occupied territory. Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani in his message stated that the Jammu & Kashmir dispute has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear, and of sacrifice against tyranny, and paid rich tributes to all the martyrs for their ultimate sacrifice and to their families for their resolve and perseverance. He called upon the international community to take practical steps to hold India accountable. The Indian Government must reverse the unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019; stop its egregious human rights violations in IIOJK; repeal the draconian laws and implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu & Kashmir.
Charge d’Affaires (a.i.) Umair Ali recalled the genesis of the long-festering dispute and numerous UNSC resolutions that enshrined the promise not just from the United Nations but from the international community to the people of Jammu and Kashmir about their right to selfdetermination. The nonimplementation of these resolutions had subjected several generations of the people of IIOJK to grave injustices and sufferings and jeopardized the peace and stability of the entire region.
Speaking at the event, participants expressed serious concerns about the media/information blockade, use of pellet guns, arrest of Kashmiri leadership and other inhuman actions of the Indian government which have been well documented in the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights reports. Miscellaneous reportings of Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations were also taken into account and India’s repressive measures in the disputed territory were criticized. The participants had a consensus that the unresolved status of Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been the biggest challenge to peace in South Asia.