AS before, on the occasion of Day of Solidarity with Kashmiris, people of Pakistan sent a clear message to India as well as the international community that they would go to any extent to defend and promote the just and legitimate cause of their Kashmiri brethren. There was a universal demand for an end to continued atrocities against Kashmiris by occupation forces and resolution of the longstanding dispute in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The day of solidarity assumed special significance in the backdrop of 18-month long curfew and blackout in occupied Jammu & Kashmir where the Modi government is engaged in implementation of ruthless policies and strategies to suppress the voice of Kashmiris for their inalienable right of self-determination. The unshakable expression of the solidarity by people of Pakistan and sentiments expressed by Kashmiris themselves on the day augur well for the future of the freedom struggle of Kashmiris as a loud message has been conveyed that India would never be able to crush their struggle. However, as the Indian Prime Minister is persisting with his highly provocative and illegal actions in the occupied territory, mere observance of solidarity days or statements would not suffice and practical measures will have to be taken to counter his plans. Such a strategy is the need of the hour in view of the fact that India has issued Kashmir domicile to about 3.4 million Hindus including ex-servicemen raising apprehensions that the demography of the region would change within three years if the existing situation persisted.
There is also logic in the demand by the AJK President Sardar Masood Khan that the business community of Pakistan ought to boycott all goods coming from India. It may also be pointed out that people of Pakistan were unanimous in expressing solidarity with Kashmiris but the political leadership showed lack of required vision by launching scathing attacks against each other on the occasion. We should also refrain from making statements that could give an impression of a departure from the principled stand of the country on the Kashmir dispute. In the past too, some leaders, in their zest to please India, floated ideas that only weakened the country’s position on the issue and such mistakes should not be repeated for whatever reasons.
