Islamabad: A rally, in connection with Youm-e-Istehsal, was taken out from Foreign Office to D-Chowk in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Federal Ministers, politicians, Hurriyat leaders, people from all walks of life and a large number of young students participated in the rally.

Addressing participants at the rally, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan's longstanding demand that India must grant the people of Kashmir their right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

He emphasized that India must revoke all illegal actions taken on August 5, 2019, end its oppressive measures in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and lift the media blackout in the region.

Ishaq Dar said Pakistan will continue to extend diplomatic, political, and moral support to the Kashmiri people until their inalienable right to self-determination is realized. He underscored that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute, and its future cannot be determined through internal legislation or court rulings.

The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed concern over media reports suggesting that Indian authorities are attempting to grant statehood to Jammu while retaining the Kashmir Valley as a Union Territory. He condemned such moves as unacceptable and provocative.

Ishaq Dar reiterated that Pakistan believes in peaceful coexistence, but its commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness. He affirmed Islamabad's desire for friendly relations with all neighboring countries and its preference for dialogue and diplomacy over confrontation. He, however, warned that Pakistan's armed forces and its people are fully capable of delivering a resolute response to any act of aggression, as demonstrated during Marka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyanum-Marsoos.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Kashmir is our jugular vein and we are firmly standing with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters. He expressed the confidence that the day is not far when Kashmiris will be granted their inalienable right to self-determination to decide their fate.

The Minister for Information reiterated Pakistan's commitment to continue raising voice of the Kashmiris at all world fora.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam said August 5 is the blackest day in the history of Kashmir when India had revoked special status of Kashmir to illegally change the demography of the state. He said Kashmiris have never accepted illegal Indian occupation on Kashmir. He reiterated Pakistan's diplomatic, political and moral support to the oppressed people of Kashmir for their struggle against the illegal Indian occupation.