Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir was observed Thursday across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. A one-minute silence was observed and traffic came to a halt to condemn the illegal and unconstitutional act that India took two years ago to change the special constitutional status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Rallies were taken out across the country to show solidarity with the people of Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir who have been living in curfew for the last two years. President Arif Alvi led a rally in Islamabad in which Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and others participated.
In Kotli, Azad Kashmir, Youm-e-Istehsal was also observed to express solidarity with the people of IIOJK. One-minute silence was observed there at 9am and national anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir were played. A ceremony was held at deputy commissioner office in Kotli to mark the day.
Dr Alvi said that India was destroying peace of the region. He vowed that “we will not sit idle till the freedom of Kashmir and Kashmir will be freed.” He said Pakistan did not agree with the illegal steps of the Indian government. He stated that Kashmir originally was to be the part of Pakistan but rules were flouted and it had not happened. He said Kashmiris still were laying down their lives to get themselves free from the Indian subjugation.
PM says India destroying regional stability thru its rogue actions
Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the RSS Hidutva philosophy that is manifesting itself in the form of barbarism being perpetrated on the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir saying that India is destroying regional stability through its rogue actions and state-sponsored terrorism in contravention of all international laws and norms, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In a tweet posted on Thursday, Prime Minister Khan wrote: “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 further said: “Despite these brazen violations of all international laws, repeated HR violations, well documented by international media and HR organizations, and in the face of an unprecedented ruthless military siege the Kashmiri people remain undaunted in their struggle for self-determination.
“The govt and people of Pakistan salute their Kashmiri brothers and sisters for their sacrifices in their determined and legitimate struggle for their inalienable rights as enshrined in the UN Charter and recognised in UNSC resolutions.
“I have raised the voice of Kashmiris on the world stage and will continue to do so till Kashmiris are allowed to decide their future according to the UNSC resolutions. Pakistan will continue to fight the Kashmiris' case with conviction and InshaAllah Kashmiris' struggle will succeed.
“The Indian government's barbarism in IIOJK is inspired by its RSS Hindutva ideology. Today India is destroying regional stability through its rogue actions and state sponsored terrorism in contravention of all international laws and norms.”
Kashmiris’ exploitation by India, a test of world’s conscious: Zardari
PPP Co-Chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari in his statement on Youm-e-Istehsal has said that the exploitation of Kashmiris at the hands of India is a test of world’s conscious.
He called on the United Nations to restore Kashmiri people’s human rights by asking India to act upon its HR charter.
Zardari termed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aggressive step of Aug 5 as an ambush on the democratic freedom.
India has turned IIOJK into jail: Shehbaz
On the eve of Kashmir Youm-e-Istehsal, PML-N President and opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has said that India has turned the Indian Occupied Kashmir into a jail.
It has been two years that New Delhi changed the status of IIOJK on Aug 5, 2019 and turned the whole occupied valley into a jail after imposing curfew there, Shehbaz lamented.
He said that the world should make India accountable for perpetrating atrocities on the Kashmiri people and for breaking law. He lamented that the biggest violator of the world laws was heading the UN Security Council.
He said after Aug 5, there was an increase in the Indian atrocities on Kashmiris and cases of extra-judicial killings were surged manifold. He said that the unconstitutional Aug 5 act of Indian government has become a question mark on the performance and effectiveness of the world community and the United Nations.
FO rally
A rally was also taken out from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad to mark the day.
Speaking to the media, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan would continue to support oppressed Kashmiris.
"A day will come when they get the freedom from Indian occupation. Indian Aug 5 actions have been rejected by the people of Kashmir and the rest of the world," he added.
Information Minister Fawad Ch said: “We are ready to fight for Kashmir anytime.” He said our hearts beat with the hearts of Kashmiri people. He said that on this occasion he wanted to give a message to the Kashmiri people that Pakistan which is the fifth big power was standing behind them.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in his Kashmir Youm-e-Istehsal message said that on Aug 5, 2019 India tore apart the rules of the United Nations. It trounced upon the human rights of Kashmiri people by unconstitutionally and illegally changing the status of the IIOJK. He said that the government was exposing the Indian atrocities and unconstitutional steps at every forum. He said that the Narendra Modi government had opened an era of barbarianism in the IIOJK.
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail in his message said that the purpose to commemorate the Aug 5 day was to remind the UN of the worst human rights violation of the Kashmiri people by the Indian government. He was of the view that after repealing Article 370, New Delhi had tried every possible measure to suppress the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom but it had failed.
On this occasion, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Indian government step to change the special status of the Indian Occupied Kashmir was controversial, unilateral and illegal. He said it was a failed attempt on part of the Indian government to suppress the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. He was of the view that this act of the Modi government was not only an attack on the peaceful people of the IIOJK, it was also an assault on the international will, UN resolutions and denial of co-existence.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that India had made the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir the biggest prison of the world. She condemned the silence of the world on the miserable plight of the Kashmiris people who had become hostage to Indian military.
Reporter Usman Khan