Srinagar: Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party has welcomed the Pakistan Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif's recent statement in which he reiterated his country's continued support to Kashmiris' legitimate struggle for right to self-determination.

In a statement issued on Thursday, DFP Spokesman Advocate Arshad Iqbal, while terming the PM Shehbaz Sharif's remarks on Kashmir as great morale boaster for the struggling people in Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said, "We as a nation are indebted of Pakistan that has stood steadfastly with us through every thick and thin".

The DFP spokesman expressed his party's profound gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their all out support to Kashmiris' just cause.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement the DFP spokesman condemned the intensified restrictions in Srinagar and other parts of the valley ahead of the India's so called republic day. He said that the house to house searches, frisking of commuters and passengers at every check points by the Indian troops has made lives of people miserable.

Terming Indian republic day as a black day for Kashmiris, he said that a country that has unabashedly usurped the Kashmiris' political and human rights, dismantle the State and stripped it of it's special status has no right to celebrate republic day.

The spokesman also condemned the continued bloodshed and violence in the region and urged the international community to take effective cognizance of the dire situation in the restive region.