To observe the seventh anniversary of revocation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian Government on 5th August 2019, the Embassy organized a dignified ceremony. The Ceremony was attended by members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora hailing from different backgrounds. Their participation reflected a strong sense of unity and solidarity with the Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The Ceremony formally commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran. On this occasion, messages from the President, Prime Minister and Deputy prime Minister/Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan were read out to the audience. The leadership messages i) paid rich tribute to brave and resilient people of the IIOJK, ii) condemned Indian government’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5th August 2019 abolishing special status of Jammu and Kashmir, iii) highlighted challenges to peace and stability in South Ais in the absence of just settlement of the Jammu and Kahmir dispute, iv) reiterated the Government of Pakistan’s continued political, diplomatic and moral support to the oppressed people of IIOJK till realization of their right to self determination and v) called upon the international community to play its active role to end the Indian atrocities in the IIOJK.
In her speech, the Ambassador Mariam Aftab briefly apprised about the history of Jammu and Kashmir dispute and implications of Indian Government’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019. She sensitized the participants on the challenges posed to regional security post 5th August 2019 developments. She emphasized that durable peace and stability in South Asia remained contingent upon a just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The Ambassador called upon the international community to play its role to convince and influence India to rescind its unilateral and illegal actions of 5th August 2019, the subsequent steps as well as to implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions allowing the Kashmiri people to freely exercise their right to self determination through UN supervised plebiscite.
