ISLAMABAD: On Kashmir Solidarity Day, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Kashmiri people.
Both leaders appealed to the global community to ensure the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and address human rights abuses in the occupied territory.
President Zardari underscores persistent violations
President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized that India’s unlawful occupation of Kashmir challenges the conscience of the international community. He strongly criticized ongoing human rights violations, including the arrests of Kashmiri leaders, harsh media restrictions, destruction of homes, and suppression of digital freedoms.
He highlighted the profiling of mosques and religious institutions in Indian-administered Kashmir as a blatant act of religious discrimination. Stressing the fundamental right of Kashmiris to practice their religion freely, Zardari declared that sustainable peace in South Asia hinges on resolving the Kashmir dispute.
The President called on the global community to pressure India into ceasing its rights violations while reiterating Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Kashmiri cause.
Prime Minister Sharif decries India’s policies
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif underlined that the Kashmir issue remains one of the longest-standing disputes on the United Nations’ agenda. He criticized Indian obstinacy in denying fundamental rights to Kashmiris for nearly 80 years.
Sharif condemned the post-August 5, 2019 measures taken by India, describing them as efforts to impose control over occupied Kashmir in contravention of United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law. He criticized ideological oppression, surveillance of religious establishments, and efforts to stifle and disempower the Kashmiri people.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment, the Prime Minister honored the resilience and sacrifices of Kashmiris. He assured continued moral, diplomatic, and political support from Pakistan and expressed hope for a future liberated from oppression.
“These days of hardship will soon give way to a brighter dawn of freedom,” Sharif declared, voicing optimism about a peaceful and free future for Kashmiris.
Maryam Nawaz honors Kashmiri sacrifices
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz portrayed the commitment to Kashmir as a heartfelt cause shared by every Pakistani. She asserted that achieving lasting peace in South Asia is only possible by resolving the Kashmir dispute.
Paying homage to Kashmiri martyrs who have kept the struggle for self-determination alive, Maryam Nawaz lamented how Indian actions have turned a once-paradisiacal valley into a site of imprisonment. She urged international organizations, including the United Nations, to fulfill their responsibilities against ongoing atrocities.
Maryam Nawaz echoed Pakistan’s commitment to providing diplomatic, political, and moral backing to Kashmiris and vowed that their plight will remain a priority at international platforms. She expressed hope for their ultimate freedom from oppression.
“In due time, the Kashmiri people will witness the dawn of their long-awaited freedom,” she added with conviction.
