ISLAMABAD: On this ‘Kashmir Black Day,’ marking 76 years since the Indian armed forces’ contentious occupation of Kashmir, President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, and Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar reassured the Kashmiri people of Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to their legitimate pursuit of the right to self-determination.
According to reports from Kashmir Media Service, President Arif Alvi expressed that October 27, 1947, stands as one of the darkest chapters in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. He lamented that, over the past seven decades, India not only failed to honour its obligations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also flouted multilateralism by reneging on UNSC resolutions. He highlighted the unyielding resilience of the oppressed people of occupied Kashmir in their pursuit of their inherent right to self-determination.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, in his message, acknowledged India’s persistent efforts over the last 76 years to maintain its illegitimate control over Kashmir. He particularly noted an escalated campaign to ‘Indianize’ Kashmir and disempower the local population in their own homeland since August 5, 2019. He highlighted various measures taken by the Indian occupation, such as manipulating electoral constituencies, enrolling non-Kashmiris as voters, granting domicile certificates to outsiders, and introducing new laws pertaining to land and property ownership. These actions, he emphasized, blatantly contravene relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the principles outlined in the Fourth Geneva Convention. Kakar further underlined the concerning militarization of occupied Kashmir, which has made it one of the most heavily militarized regions globally.
The Prime Minister emphasized that recent developments in the Middle East have demonstrated that long-standing disputes should not be allowed to persist.
