Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have said that Pakistan will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, steadfastly supporting their just cause. They said that the Government of Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, diplomatic, and moral support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
This was stated by President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif in their separate messages on Kashmir Martyrs' Day.
President Zardari in his message said '??Today, on the 95th Kashmir Martyrs' Day (Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir), I pay rich tribute to the 22 Kashmiri martyrs who rendered the ultimate sacrifice while braving the indiscriminate firing of the Dogra forces in 1931. ?On this sombre day, the people of Pakistan join their Kashmiri brethren in commemorating the sacrifice of the martyrs of 1931. Regrettably, Kashmiris are still struggling against India's illegal occupation. Even today, over 900,000-strong Indian occupation forces continue to hold the Kashmiri people hostage to perpetuate the wrongful occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. India's illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019 were yet another attempt to strip the Kashmiri people of their distinct identity and turn them into a minority in their own land. Subsequent to these measures, and hurting the sentiments of the Kashmiris, India scrapped the regional public holiday on Kashmir Martyrs' Day, which had been observed every year since 1948. India also disco ntinued the traditional Guard of Honour ceremony at the Martyrs' Graveyard'.
President Zardari said '?As we honour the invaluable sacrifice of the heroes of 1931 as well as all innocent Kashmiris who have laid down their lives in this just struggle, we urge India to immediately halt repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), cease all human rights violations, release all political prisoners, lift the military siege and stop its attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory'.
? President Zardari said '?We also urge the international community to play its due role in ensuring respect for human rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to support efforts aimed at the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions'.
President Zardari said ??While honouring the martyrs of Kashmir, we pray that Allah Almighty grant them the highest place in Jannah and bring closer the day when the people of Jammu and Kashmir are able to exercise their right to determine their own future freely and peacefully. Pakistan will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, steadfastly supporting their just cause.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his message said 'Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir (Kashmir Martyrs' Day) is observed every year on 13 July to pay tribute to the 22 Kashmiris who embraced martyrdom when the Dogra administration opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Srinagar in 1931. Their sacrifice marked a defining moment in the political awakening of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their struggle for dignity, fundamental rights and identity'.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Kashmir Martyrs' Day also symbolizes the resilience, courage and unwavering determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which have inspired generations, to continue their just struggle for justice and the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination. The readiness of the people to make the ultimate sacrifice for this fundamental right continues to shape and define the historical struggle of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that despite heavy militarization, continued repression, and persistent human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the resolve of the Kashmiri people remains unshaken. Arbitrary detentions, suppression of political dissent, restrictions on the media, and attempts to alter the demographic and political landscape of the occupied territory have been widely documented and condemned by international human rights organizations and United Nations human rights mechanisms. Yet, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to steadfastly pursue their legitimate aspirations.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said 'On this solemn occasion, Pakistan pays homage to the courage, resilience, and sacrifices of all the martyrs of Jammu and Kashmir. Their enduring legacy will continue to strengthen the resolve of generations in the ongoing pursuit of the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination'.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the Government of Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, diplomatic, and moral support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We stand in complete solidarity with their just struggle for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Lasting peace and stability in South Asia remain contingent upon the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, he said.