Pakistan Saturday strongly condemned indiscriminate firing of heavy weapons and grenades on a Mosque in Shopian, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), on April 9, 2021.

In a statement Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said desecration and damage caused to the Mosque during so-called “cordon-and-search operation”, and repeated incidence of extra-judicial killings in various places in IIOJK, are manifestations of the unabated state-terrorism to which Kashmiris are subjected in the occupied territory.

“This inhuman conduct of Indian forces is reflective of their moral bankruptcy as well as the prevalent culture of impunity in IIOJK. Targeting the faith and cultural identity of the people of occupied territory is in clear violation of basic human norms and fundamental precepts of international law. History is witness that the use of brutal and indiscriminate force against the Kashmiris and targeting of their religious places has not succeeded in breaking their will. Such attempts will not succeed in the future as well.”

He said the Government and people of Pakistan will continue to stand by the Kashmiri people in their just and legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions.