MUZAFFARABAD: While renewing Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of Occupied Kashmir, Presi­dent Dr Arif Alvi said on Saturday that no power on the planet could stop the freedom of Kashmiris from oppressor India.

He expressed this belief at two separate events in the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as people from all walks of life held rallies, demonstrations and other functions, including formation of human chains, across AJK and Pakistan to voice their support for their oppressed brothers and sisters in the disputed Himalayan region on the Kashmir Solidarity Day, which has been observed on Feb 5 every year since 1990.

In a special message for the day, meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that harsh policies of the Indian government had failed to crush the spirit of Kashmiris.

During his first engagement in Muzaffarabad, President Alvi inaugurated a monument to the people who had laid down their lives for freedom of Occupied Kashmir and defence of the AJK territory since the partition of subcontinent.

The monument, funds for which were provided by the previous AJK government, has been built under the supervision of Pakistan Army in the Chattar neighbourhood — home to important official buildings such as that of the Legislative Assembly, superior courts, civil secretariat and the prime minister’s office.

At the inauguration ceremony, Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood, Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, AJK legislators and senior civilian and army officials were also in attendance.

Dr Alvi unveiled the plaque in a tunnel and laid a wreath at the above-ground portion of the monument amid a salute by army soldiers.

On the occasion, an amount of Rs10 million donated by regional president of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was also distributed among the families of the martyrs.

In his speech, President Alvi said the sacred blood shed by people to accomplish the noble cause of freedom of Occupied Kashmir would not go in vain. He urged the international community and the UN to resolve the longstanding Kashmir issue in accordance with the pledges made to the Kashmiris, making it loud and clear that no power could stonewall their freedom.

Later, the president addressed a special session of the AJK Assembly in what has become a regular feature of the Solidarity Day.

Prior to his speech, leader of the house Abdul Qayyum Niazi, leader of the opposition Chaudhry Latif Akbar, PTI leader Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, PPP chief Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, PML-N’s chief organiser Shah Ghulam Qadir, Muslim Conference supremo Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and JKPP chief Sardar Hassan Ibrahim addressed the assembly.

Paying tribute to the Kashmiris for their heroic struggle, President Alvi pointed out that even after employing brute force India had failed to deter the determined Kashmiri nation from seeking its globally acknowledged right to self-determination.

Lambasting India’s demographic engineering in the disputed region and other controversial laws aimed at strengthening its occupation, he said that New Delhi would fail to achieve its nefarious designs through actions that violated UN Security Council resolutions and other international conventions.

“Kashmiris want freedom through peaceful means and Pakistan is providing full opportunities to the global bodies to resolve the issue in the same manner,” the president said.

Earlier, at 10am a one-minute silence was observed across the country to express solidarity with the Kashmiris.

Among other activities of the day in old parts of the AJK capital, demonstrations were held under the aegis of Peoples League and Jamaat-i-Islami while human chains were formed at different spots linking AJK with neighbouring areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

In Kohala, a big function was held in addition of the formation of a human chain on the main bridge over Jhelum river.

Imran’s message

In a tweet, Prime Minister Imran Khan said: “Pakistan stands united with our Kashmiri brothers & sisters and committed to their legitimate struggle for self-determination. [Narendra] Modi’s fascist policies of oppression & violence have failed to crush the spirit of the Kashmiri resistance in IIOJK.

“It is time the world takes notice of India’s grave human rights violations in IIOJK which include crimes against humanity, war crimes & genocidal acts as well as the threat of forced demographic change. All these are in complete violation of the Geneva Conventions.”

It’s the international community’s responsibility to ensure an impartial plebiscite in Kashmir, added Mr Khan.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2022