Summary Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirms solidarity with Kashmiris on Black Day, calling for self-determination, peace, and a UN-backed dispute resolution.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have emphasized that lasting peace and stability in South Asia cannot be achieved without a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
In their separate messages on Jammu and Kashmir Black Day, they said the Government and people of Pakistan reaffirm their unwavering solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will continue to raise their voice at every appropriate international forum and to advocate the realisation of their legitimate aspirations,” the president said in his message.
The president said Jammu and Kashmir Black Day is, therefore, not merely a day of remembrance. It is also an occasion to reaffirm their commitment to a peaceful and just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Lasting peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia remain closely linked to the resolution of this longstanding dispute, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, he emphasised.
Today, the president said they paid tribute to the countless sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and reaffirmed their solidarity with the Kashmiri brothers and sisters, adding Pakistan stands with them in the pursuit of justice, peace, dignity and the realisation of the legitimate right to self-determination.
“The day is not far off when the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be able to determine their own future in accordance with their aspirations and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will move towards a just and peaceful resolution,” he added.
On Jammu and Kashmir Black Day, the president said they solemnly remembered 27 October 1947, when Indian forces landed in Srinagar, marking the beginning of a prolonged and tragic chapter in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
This day reaffirmed their recognition of the longstanding aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the continued pursuit of the fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination, he added.
The president observed that for the past eight decades, the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) had endured profound sufferings, marked by violence, repression and serious violations of fundamental rights.
Generations of Kashmiris have made immense sacrifices in their pursuit of justice, dignity and freedom. Their resilience and determination in the face of adversity remained a testament to the enduring strength of their cause, he added.
President Zardari further said that since 27 October 1947, the people of IIOJK had endured decades of conflict, restrictions and denial of their fundamental rights. The continuing restrictions on fundamental freedoms, heightened militarisation, arrests and reports of human rights violations remain a matter of serious concern and underscore the need for sustained international attention.
In a separate message, PM Shehbaz reiterated that Pakistan’s position on Jammu and Kashmir remained clear, consistent and principled, emphasizing that lasting peace and stability in South Asia cannot be achieved without a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
He said, “On this Jammu & Kashmir Black Day, the Government and people of Pakistan reaffirm their unwavering solidarity with the people of IIOJK.”
The prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to extend its moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people, and to advocate for their legitimate rights at every national and international forum.
Seventy-nine years ago, he said Indian forces landed in Srinagar, marking the beginning of a tragic chapter in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, one that continues to cast its long shadow over the region to this day.
Since then, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been denied the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination, as affirmed in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, he added.
The prime minister observed that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) had endured immense hardship, suffering and repression. Yet their courage, resilience and unwavering resolve to secure their fundamental rights remain undiminished.
The sacrifices of successive generations stood as a powerful testament to their enduring commitment to freedom, dignity and justice, he added.
“India has continued its efforts to suppress legitimate political expression and silence the voices that represent the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The prolonged incarceration of Kashmiri political leaders, activists and human rights defenders remains deeply concerning. It underscores the need for due process, respect for basic liberties, and greater international attention to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, quoted the prime minister as saying.
Since 5 August 2019, he said India had taken a series of unilateral measures in IIOJK, accompanied by sweeping restrictions on fundamental freedoms. These measures, affecting the political, legal and demographic character of the territory, had drawn serious international attention.
“Pakistan has consistently called for these developments to be addressed in accordance with international law and the applicable United Nations Security Council resolutions,” he emphasized.
On the solemn occasion, the prime minister also paid tribute to the countless Kashmiri men, women and children who had offered immense sacrifices in pursuit of their rights, adding that their memory would always be honoured. The aspirations of the Kashmiri people cannot be extinguished through coercion or repression.
