Staff Reporter Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday called out India over its continuous “inhuman military siege” and “unprecedented oppression” in occupied Kashmir.
Their rebuke came as the country observed Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir (the day of exploitation) to mark two years since New Delhi stripped the valley of its special autonomy.
The prime minister, in a series of tweets, said: “Today marks two years since India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 Aug 2019 in IIOJK.
In these two years, the world has witnessed unprecedented oppression in IIOJK by Indian Occupation forces.
It is also witnessing Indian efforts to force demographic change and destroy Kashmiri identity.”
He praised the people of occupied Kashmir for remaining “undaunted in their struggle for self determination” and vowed to continue to raise his voice for their rights “till Kashmiris are allowed to decide their future according to UNSC resolutions”.
The Inter-Services Public Relation, the military’s media wing, quoted the Army Chief Gen Bajwa as saying that the “continuation of inhuman military siege, machinations to bring demographic changes and gross violations of human rights and international laws are perpetuating humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K” that imperil regional security.
In another tweet, the ISPR added that the “resolution of Kashmir dispute as per UN Resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people is imperative for enduring peace and stability in the region.”
PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif said in a tweet that “August 5 marks two years of India’s immoral, illegal and unilateral annexation of occupied Kashmir that flew in the face of the UN Charter & all bilateral treaties.”
He termed the repealing of Article 370 Modi’s “’final solution’ meant to rob Kashmiris of their identity, human rights and the state”.
Shehbaz further stated that “Kashmiris’ struggle for their UN-sanctioned rights against a fascist Modi regime that has worn the mask of democracy renews our faith in the power of resilience and defiance.”
“Today, we pay rich tributes to Kashmiris for their courage and heroism,” he added.
Meanwile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that the nation stood with the Kashmiri brethren of Indian occupied Kashmir in their struggle for the right to self-determination.
In his message on the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal, he said the Pakistani nation stands with Kashmiris like rock and the Indian action of Aug 5 will be reversed jointly.
He said Pakistan had fought four wars on Kashmir and our young people were martyred. And country’s economic, political and foreign policies revolve around the Kashmir issue.
The people of Kashmir have written a new history of sacrifices and the extremists, fascists like Narendra Modi could not defeat their resolve and commitment to sacrifice for Kashmir cause, he said.
He said that the flame of independence of Kashmir which was kindled by the people of occupied Kashmir seventy years ago was shinning with the same intensity.
