President Asif Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif pay tribute to struggle of Kashmiris
ISLAMABAD (92 News) - President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have paid tribute to the struggle of Kashmiris, saying India’s actions since 5 August 2019 demonstrated complete disregard for international law, the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, and the UN Security Council resolutions regarding Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In a message on Youm-e-Istehsal on 5th August 2024, President Asif Zardari said: “Today marks the completion of five years of India’s latest campaign to consolidate its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. On this day, five years ago, India took a number of unilateral and unlawful steps in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to undermine its internationally recognized disputed status.”
Since 5 August 2019, he said India has embarked upon a ceaseless campaign to alter the demographic structure and political landscape of IIOJK. Issuing domicile certificates to outsiders, registering temporary residents in the voters’ lists, gerrymandering assembly constituencies, and modifying land and property ownership laws are some of the key features of this campaign. All these measures are in blatant violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention, he observed.
“The continued presence of hundreds of thousands of Indian troops has turned IIOJK into one of the most heavily militarized zones in the world. The gross human rights violations in IIOJK have been documented extensively and condemned globally. The mistreatment of Kashmiri journalists and human rights defenders has further revealed India’s willingness to go to any lengths to silence dissenting voices. India would not succeed in suppressing the just struggle of the people of IIOJK through domestic legislation and judicial verdicts, ” he added.
In his message on Youm-e-Istehsal on August 5, 2024, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend its strong moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people till the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.
“This somber occasion reminds us of the grave consequences of India’s illegal actions of 5 August 2019 vis-à-vis Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).” On 5 August 2019, he said India took a series of steps to consolidate its occupation of lIOJK.
“Ever since, India has been trying to convince the world that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of its territory. However, international law, historical facts, moral principles and the situation on the ground deny India’s baseless claims. Today, in IIOJK, efforts are being made to silence the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people and muzzle the media. The number of political prisoners remains in the thousands, while 14 political organizations have been outlawed.
“Harassment of innocent people, arbitrary detentions, and the so-called ‘cordon and search operations have become a matter of routine. The Indian forces are operating with impunity, according to them under different draconian laws,” he added.
