Seeks to Mark 77 Years of Struggle
Pakistanis and Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control, and all over the world, on Tuesday observed Kashmir Black Day on October 27, marking 77 years since Indian troops entered the valley in 1947. The day is being held in memory of the decades-long struggle for self-determination that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have had to endure.
President Asif Ali Zardari urged the international community to intervene and force India to put an end to the brazen human rights violations currently being carried out in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He assured that Pakistan will stand with its Kashmiri brethren, saying, “Pakistan will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters until they achieve their inalienable right to self-determination.”
The president underlined the importance of October 27, 1947, as marking the day when this occupation began a “dark chapter” in the history of South Asia. Since then, IIOJK has developed into one of the worlds’ most militarily densely populated regions. While condemning Indian long-standing suppression of the Kashmiris, the president pointed out to thousands of innocent lives wasted, their legitimate leaders have been confined behind the iron bars of jails, local media totally censored by the Government of India.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also reiterated that Pakistan was fully committed to supporting Kashmiris in their just struggle for self-determination, saying that Pakistan would continue its unwavering moral, diplomatic, and political support until the Kashmir dispute is resolved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
The prime minister in his statement said that the day was of significant importance since Indian forces had first set foot in Srinagar on October 27, 1947, marking an occupation that would suppress Kashmiri people’s legitimate aspiration to decide about their own future. He stressed how India has never adhered to its international obligations and the UN resolutions relating to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Kashmir Black Day reflects the irrelevance of the nations towards the plight of the Kashmiris and for the continuous international attention toward the continued plight of Kashmir people.
