ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The government announced on Friday that it would officially observe Feb 5 as Kashmir Day to reiterate solidarity with the people struggling to overthrow the Indian occupation of the valley.

The day will be a closed holiday and the nation will observe one-minute silence at 10am throughout the country. Special programmes have been planned to demonstrate complete solidarity with the Kashmiris.

Speaking at a news conference at the PID centre, Federal Minister for Kashmir and Northern Area Affairs Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said the people and the government of Pakistan would demonstrate on the day their solidarity with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir to make it clear to the world that Pakistan would not step back an inch from its stated position on the issue.

He said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Feb 5 will visit Muzaffarabad and speak at a joint session of the AJK Legislative Assembly and AJK Council. His speech will be telecast live for the first time on the AJK television which he will inaugurate earlier in the day.

The minister denied reports that Pakistan had in any way backed out of its position that the issue of Kashmir ought to be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions.