Webdesk: On the sixth anniversary of Youm-e-Istehsal, Pakistan’s military leadership reaffirmed its firm support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling for an end to what it described as continued unlawful occupation.
In a message issued on Tuesday, the country’s top military figures, including Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff, expressed serious concern over the situation in the region.
They said the ongoing presence of Indian forces in IIOJK, marked by what they called a harsh military siege. Serious human rights abuses, and attempts to change the region’s demographics, was a clear violation of international standards and remains deeply troubling.
“The continued illegal occupation of IIOJK by Indian security forces, characterised by an unrelenting military siege, systemic human rights violations, and demographic engineering, constitutes a grave breach of international norms and remains a matter of deep concern,” the military’s public relations wing, ISPR, quoted the leadership as saying.
The armed forces stressed their complete backing for the Kashmiri people’s ongoing struggle for their right to self-determination, a right which, they pointed out, is protected by international law and supported by several United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
They also strongly criticised what they referred to as India’s “repressive actions, belligerent posture, and incendiary rhetoric,” warning that such moves only fuel more instability across the region and worsen the suffering of innocent people.
On this occasion, the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force collectively stood in solidarity with the people of IIOJK, whom they described as brave and resilient.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff, along with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and the Pakistan Armed Forces, reaffirm their unwavering solidarity with the resilient and courageous people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the statement read.
The military also stated that there can be no lasting peace in South Asia unless the Kashmir dispute is resolved fairly and peacefully, keeping in view the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and in line with relevant UN resolutions.
“It is unequivocally evident that durable peace in South Asia remains unattainable without the just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” the statement added.
The armed forces paid heartfelt tribute to those who lost their lives in IIOJK, vowing to continue standing alongside the Kashmiri people in their rightful movement for freedom.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Youm-e-Istehsal is a sobering reminder of India’s rejection of peace and stability and its pursuit of a policy of brutality and unilateralism.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in his message on Youm-e-Istehsal, emphasised the urgent need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
He said a fair settlement is essential for lasting peace in South Asia, especially in the wake of the successful ‘Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos’, which he described as a source of great pride for the people of Pakistan.
Reflecting on the significance of the day, the president noted that the sixth anniversary of India’s unilateral and unlawful actions of August 5,2019, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is being observed with a heavy heart.
He recalled that on that day, India revoked the special constitutional status of IIOJK and divided it into two so-called ‘Union Territories,’ a move aimed at changing the internationally recognised disputed nature of the territory and weakening the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
President Zardari further pointed out that, over the past six years, Indian authorities have taken various steps to alter the region’s demographic and political landscape.
These include redrawing electoral boundaries, adding non-Kashmiris to voter lists, issuing domicile certificates to outsiders, expanding the powers of the Lieutenant Governor in governance matters, and introducing new laws governing land and property ownership.
He expressed serious concern over these developments, describing them as deliberate attempts to marginalise the local population and change the identity of the region.
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