Pakistanis are expressing their unwavering support for their Kashmiri brothers and sisters' fight against human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by commemorating Kashmir Solidarity Day on Monday.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs stated that appropriate preparations have been taken to celebrate today's event, Kashmir Solidarity Day, both domestically and internationally.
The ministry says that walks of solidarity are being planned in Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as around the country. Concurrently, on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, there was a rally in support of the Kashmiri people.
At nine in the morning, a moment of silence was observed as well in honor of the Kashmiri martyrs.
"Posters and billboards have been displayed around important Avenves, airports, and railway stations to highlight the plight of Kashmiri people," said the statement.
In addition, in honor of the day, educational institutions have scheduled essay writing competitions as well as debate and declamation events.
The right to self-determination is a fundamental tenet of international law, according to President Dr. Arif Alvi, but sadly, the Kashmiri people have not been allowed to exercise this unalienable right.
"Every year, the UN General Assembly passes a resolution that clearly supports the realization of the right to self-determination for those who are occupied by foreign powers," the president stated.
He noted that for the last 26 years, the people of the IIOJK have struggled to realize their right to self-determination.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that every year on February 5, Kashmir Solidarity Day is commemorated to show Pakistan's steadfast support for the Kashmiri people's rightful fight for the realization of their right to self-determination.
The statement said that India has waged a ceaseless campaign to frighten and oppress the people of IIOJK for the past 26 years. It also added that extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, and torture in prison are common examples of India's iron-fisted tactics in IIOJK.
"Pakistan will continue to extend its unstinted moral, diplomatic, and political support for this just cause," stated PM Kakar.
Pakistan Armed Forces, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and service chiefs have paid rich tributes to the people of Kashmir.
“Kashmir remains a long-pending unresolved issue on the UN agenda since 1948,” said a message released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Kashmir Solidarity Day.
The armed forces, CJCSC, and service chiefs stressed that the problem be handled in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and UN Resolutions that guarantee their right to self-determination.
It was noted that decades of atrocities committed by Indian occupation troops had failed to dampen the spirit of the Kashmiri people and their legitimate freedom movement.
"The night is, indeed, the darkest before dawn; the heroic struggle for Azadi is destined to succeed, InshaAllah," the ISPR said.