Pakistan Links South Asia Peace to Kashmir Resolution on Exploitation Day

Pakistan's leadership observed Youm-i-Istehsal on Wednesday, emphasizing that a just and lasting peace in South Asia is intrinsically tied to the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. The day commemorates the anniversary of India's 2019 revocation of the occupied region's special autonomy.

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We pay tribute to their courage, resilience and commitment to their just struggle for the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination.

President Asif Ali Zardari declared the day a reaffirmation of "unwavering solidarity" with the people of occupied Kashmir. He paid tribute to their courage and resilience in their struggle for self-determination. Zardari noted that seven years have passed since India's "illegal and unilateral actions" of August 5, 2019, asserting that these actions cannot alter the dispute's legal status or diminish the Kashmiri people's resolve. He highlighted the severe restrictions and hardships faced by Kashmiris, including constrained opportunities for youth and prolonged conflict.

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These actions cannot change the legal status of the dispute, nor can they weaken the resolve of the Kashmiri people.

President Zardari reiterated Pakistan's steadfast moral, political, and diplomatic support, pledging to continue raising the issue at international forums until the dispute is resolved according to UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He addressed the Kashmiri people directly, stating, "Pakistan stands firmly with you. Your courage in the face of adversity inspires us. You are not alone."

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To my Kashmiri brothers and sisters, I say: Pakistan stands firmly with you. Your courage in the face of adversity inspires us. You are not alone.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the "unwavering solidarity" of Pakistan's people and government with their Kashmiri counterparts. He stated that India's "unlawful measures" have not changed Kashmir's legal status or the people's aspirations. Instead, Sharif argued, these actions have intensified repression, undermined freedoms, and accelerated attempts to alter the region's demographic composition through legislative and administrative means. He also pointed to the suppression of Kashmiri leadership and restrictions on civil liberties.

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Instead, they have deepened repression, undermined fundamental freedom, and accelerated attempts to alter the demographic composition of the occupied territory through unlawful legislative and administrative measures.