Message from Mr. Mamnoon Hussain President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day

Message from Mr. Mamnoon Hussain President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day

Every year, 27 October is observed as Kashmir Black Day throughout the world as on this ill-fated day in 1947 Indian forces landed in Srinagar to illegally occupy this heavenly land and started one of the most tragic chapters in human history. Since that Black Day, the universal principles of humanity, liberty, justice and sovereignty are being mocked by the Indian atrocities in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IoK). Four generations of Kashmiris have suffered countless brutalities since then.

The consistent pattern of Indian barbarities for the last 68 years has once again been repeated in the aftermath of the extra-judicial murder of the young icon of Kashmir freedom struggle, Mr. Burhan Wani, on 8 July, 2016. The whole Indian state machinery has done its utmost in committing worst form of state terrorism on the defenseless masses of IoK who are demanding self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. The Indian forces, truly behaving in a manner of occupation forces, are using with impunity live ammunition and pellet guns against the civilians who are being butchered inhumanly. Deliberate targeting of the eyes is highly despicable and this barbarous practice finds no example among civilized humanity.

There is absolute lawlessness prevailing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. The anarchy is compounded by arbitrary arrests and detention of political leaders, human rights defenders, journalists and protesters. Thousands of people are being held in custody without any trial. Leaders of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) continue to remain under detention, either in their houses or in police stations. Mobile phone, internet services, and Cable TV remain completely blocked. Due to prolonged curfews, the longest in the history of IoK, a humanitarian crisis has erupted, severely disrupting the lives and livelihoods of Kashmiri people.

The valiant people of IoK, through their unparalleled resilience, have comprehensively defeated Indian state-sponsored atrocities. Instead, they have become more determined to demand their right to self-determination. The people of Pakistan and the freedom-loving people of the entire world salute them for their courage in braving the Indian barbarism.

We urge the international community to wake up on the Kashmir issue and take notice of the gross human rights violations occurring in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It is also the responsibility of international community to fulfill its promise to the Kashmiris, of granting them their right of self-determination through a fair and free plebiscite. The UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu & Kashmir offer a peaceful, democratic, plausible, appealing and most sensible solution to the Kashmir dispute. We invite India once again to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions to end the Kashmir dispute forthwith for the sake of peace and prosperity of this whole region. The illegal occupation of IoK is the single main cause that has deprived more than 1.5 billion people in this region of peace and prosperity for the last seven decades.

We express our complete solidarity with our Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle. We will continue to extend to them our unflinching moral, political and diplomatic support in their just struggle for self-determination. Our support will continue till the realization of the cherished dream for freedom of millions of Kashmiris from draconian Indian occupation.

October 27, 2016
Washington D.C