ISLAMABAD: As the nation observes ‘Kashmir Black Day’ today, marking the 76 years of Indian armed forces’ illegal occupation in Kashmir, President Dr Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar have assured the Kashmiri people of Pakistan’s unwavering support for their legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office spokesperson, at a weekly press briefing, said that the people of Kashmir have never accepted, nor will they ever accept, the illegal occupation of their land or India’s systematic campaign to suppress them through force, turning them into a disempowered minority in their homeland.

The spokesperson reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to “our Kashmiri brothers and sisters until they realise their inherent right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions”.

She said the script being enacted by Israeli occupation forces in Palestine was being replicated by India in held Kashmir.

‘Kashmir Black Day’ marks 76 years of illegal Indian occupation

“Like the Palestinian people, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to wait for the UN Security Council to ensure the implementation of its own resolutions that recognise their right to self-determination.

Rooted in the colonial past, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, like the Palestine question has been on the UN Security Council’s agenda for over seven decades,“ she pointed out.

Meanwhile, in his message, President Alvi said that Oct 27, 1947, was one of the darkest days in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Over the last seventy-six years, India has not only reneged on its obligations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir but has also disregarded multilateralism by backtracking on UNSC resolutions,” he added.

The people of the held Kashmir have endured endless oppression during this period. However, India has failed to weaken their resolve to realise their inalienable right to self-determination.

Most militarised region

PM Kakar, in his message, noted that over the last 76 years, India has employed various methods to perpetuate its illegal rule over Kashmir. However, since Aug 5, 2019, there has been an intensified campaign to ‘Indianise’ Kashmir and disempower the Kashmiri people in their own land.

The Indian occupation has taken several measures to achieve these nefarious designs, including gerrymandering electoral constituencies, adding non-Kashmiris to voter rolls, issuing domicile certificates to outsiders, and introducing new laws on land and property ownership.

These undemocratic and illegal actions directly violate relevant UNSC resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention, he said.

Today, held Kashmir remains one of the most militarised regions in the world.

The PM emphasised that recent developments in the Middle East have shown that long-standing disputes should not be allowed to persist.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2023