ISLAMABAD – President Dr Arif Alvi has said that India is using Israeli model to suppress the Kashmiri voices and the ongoing demographic changes being made in the IIOJK are part of this campaign.
“There have been institutionalized crimes committed against the Kashmir people including gang rape and use of pellet guns,” said the President while addressing a rally at D Chowk in front of the Parliament House here to mark the Kashmir solidarity day.
The president led the rally participated 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 Foreign Office, Kashmiri leaders, media and a large number of people.
The solidarity rally was taken out in front of the Ministry of Foreign Office at the Constitutional Avenue and culminated at the D-Chowk.
The president dared India to use pellet guns in any part of India. He opined that India had been setting itself on fire with its policies. He said Pakistan wanted a peaceful resolution of the IIOJK issue in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, guaranteeing the 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 recognize the Indian constitution, illegally enlisting the occupied territory as its part. The participants of the rally were carrying placards and banners, and raised slogans, expressing moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of IIOJK 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.
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. He said that in order to suppress the freedom voices, the Indian forces had imposed a complete lockdown in IIOJK and there had been media blackout, so that Kashmiri voices and images highlighting continuous Indian atrocities could be gouged. He said, “The hearts of people of Pakistan and Kashmiri people beat together, when there is bloodshed in IIOJK, the people in Pakistan are hurt.”
The president said Pakistan had been reminding the world to honour its commitment with the 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. He said with August 5 actions, the Indian government had violated the UNSC resolutions, Geneva Convention and their Charters. It had breached its promises made with the international community.
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 unabated 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.
All the suppressed people across the world had been looking towards an organization to come to their rescue, he added. 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 said Pakistan had given a befitting reply over the Balakot incident and was ready to respond to any Indian aggression with full force. He reiterated that the Indian government should open IIOJK to the media, and the international delegations to witness the ground realities there. He said holding of the Kashmir Premier League showed to the world the contrasting pictures of Azad Kashmir and the IIOJK.
Later addressing the audience of an All Pakistan Kashmir Solidarity Mushaira at the Presidency, the president urged the world to resolve the Kashmir dispute for achieving sustainable peace in South Asia.He said those nations who saw deaths of millions of people in the world wars were not taking a moral stand on Kashmir due to vested interests and trade with India.
“But this will not continue as freedom of people cannot be denied. Every child born will demand freedom whether in Kashmir or Palestine.”he said. He said India was perpetrating oppression against its Muslim population. “Muslims of India are our brothers and sisters and we will continue our efforts peacefully for the rights of Muslims in India.” he said. During the poetry session, prominent poets including Amjad Islam Amjad, Dr Inamul Haq, Mansoor Afaq, Adil Soomro, Mohsin Shakeel, Ambreen Naseer and others read their poetry to express solidarity with the oppressed people in IIOJK. On the occasion, the president awarded shields to the poets.
Meanwhile paying tribute to the people of Kashmir for their resolve and valiant struggle, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said Saturday that it was time to end the human tragedy and resolve the Kashmir issue as per aspirations of its people and United Nations resolutions.
In a message on the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the Army Chief said that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) were braving the gravest human rights violations and lockdown, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) tweeted.
“Tribute 2 ppl of Kashmir, their resolve and valiant struggle, braving gravest human rights violations & lockdown in IIOJ&K under Indian occupation forces. Time to end this human tragedy & resolve #Kashmir issue as per aspirations of people of J&K & #UN resolutions. COAS,” the ISPR tweeted.