ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday urged the international community to take notice of blatant human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a rally in Islamabad on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, the president said Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution of the issue in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, guaranteeing right of self-determination to the oppressed Kashmiri people. The president said IIOJK had never been a part of India and Pakistan did not even recognise the Indian constitution, illegally enlisting the occupied territory as its part.
The rally was attended by Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Chairman Parliament Special Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, ministers, members of parliament, officers of the foreign office, Kashmiri leaders, media, and a large number of people.
The participants were carrying placards and banners, and raised slogans, expressing moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The president said that the day was not far when the oppressed people of IIOJK would get freedom from the Indian clutches. He said Pakistan stands firm with Kashmir as “they are part of our body and our hearts beat together”. He reaffirmed that Kashmir was never and will never be part of India.
The president called upon the international community to ensure implementation of its promises made to the people of IIOJK regarding their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with their aspirations.
The president said that in order to suppress the freedom voices, the Indian forces had imposed a complete lockdown in IIOJK and there had been a media blackout so that Kashmiri voices and images highlighting continuous Indian atrocities could be gouged.
“The hearts of people of Pakistan and Kashmiri people beat together, when there is bloodshed in IIOJK, the people in Pakistan are hurt,” he said. The president said Pakistan had been reminding the world to honour its commitment with Kashmiri people.
Lauding Kashmiris’ sacrifices, he said Quaid-e-Azam had termed Kashmir a jugular vein of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people were proving it by shedding their blood. He also referred to late Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s statement that Kashmir and Pakistan, both belonged to them. The president said, on this day, he wanted to reinforce such feelings.
The president said to silence the voices, about 800,000 Indian forces in IIOJK were conducting cordon and search operations, ensuing fake encounters with imposition of curfew whereas putting Kashmiri leaders under house arrest. They even did not let people attend late Geelani’s funeral.
The president reiterating Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of IIOJK, said that Indian cruelties had been continuing unbated during the last 70 years. India took the issue to the UN and Pakistan reposed trust in the global body to resolve it, he said, lamenting that due to the vested interests, morality had no longer any value in the world.
The president said there had been institutionalised crimes committed against the Kashmir people including gang rape and use of pellet guns. He dared India to use pellet guns in any part of India. India had been using Israeli model to suppress the Kashmiri voices. The president also denounced the demographic changes being made in the IIOJK.
He said India would not succeed in its nefarious designs. “Pakistan stands with Kashmir and will continue to stand as it is part of our body,” he maintained. The president reiterated that Indian government should open IIOJK to media, and the international delegations to witness the ground realities there. He said Pakistan had given a befitting reply over Balakot incident and was ready to respond to any Indian aggression with full force.
