Kashmir Black Day: Pakistan renews support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination

Kashmir Black Day is being observed on both sides of the Line of Control and by Kashmiris living in Pakistan and around the world on October 27 to mark the anniversary of the arrival of Indian troops in Srinagar in 1947.

A special ceremony was held at D-Chowk in Islamabad by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs. Participants observed a minute of silence after sirens were sounded to mark the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan observes the day every year to draw international attention to what it describes as India’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan has a responsibility to raise the voices of the Kashmiri people on international platforms.

Dar said Pakistan had highlighted the Kashmir dispute around the world, including among the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He added that the international community had not forgotten the issue.

He criticised India’s decision on August 5, 2019, to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, saying the move had further complicated the dispute. He also accused India of violating the United Nations Charter and said Pakistan would continue its efforts to highlight the situation in the region.

The foreign minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had consistently raised the Kashmir issue at international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly and meetings in Shanghai. Pakistan, he added, would continue providing political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam also addressed the ceremony. He expressed confidence that Kashmiris would eventually achieve their right to self-determination and said their determination had remained strong despite decades of conflict.

Muqam described October 27, 1947, as a dark day in Kashmir’s history, when Indian troops landed in Srinagar. He claimed that more than 97,000 people had been killed in the conflict and highlighted the suffering of families who had lost loved ones.

Kashmir Black Day is marked annually to draw global attention to the dispute and support the Kashmiri people’s demand for the right to decide their political future. Protests and demonstrations were announced in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, while Kashmiris living in different countries were expected to hold rallies and other activities.

In Muzaffarabad, a march was planned along Srinagar Highway towards the Line of Control. Participants were also expected to stage an anti-India protest in Hattian Bala, in the Jhelum Valley district.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on Kashmir Black Day, said October 27 marked the beginning of a tragic chapter in Jammu and Kashmir’s history. He said Indian forces entered Srinagar 79 years ago, and the consequences of that event continued to affect the region.

Sharif said the people of Jammu and Kashmir remained deprived of their internationally recognised right to self-determination under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. He praised their courage and determination in continuing their struggle despite decades of hardship, repression and suffering.

The prime minister expressed concern over the continued detention of Kashmiri political leaders, activists and human rights defenders. He called for greater international attention to their circumstances and to the human rights situation in the region.

He also criticised India’s unilateral measures of August 5, 2019, saying they had affected Jammu and Kashmir’s political, legal and demographic status and imposed widespread restrictions on fundamental freedoms.

Sharif said Pakistan’s position on the dispute remained consistent and principled. He called for a fair and peaceful settlement in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

He added that lasting peace and stability in South Asia could not be achieved without resolving the Kashmir dispute. On the occasion, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris and pledged to raise their concerns at national and international forums.

President Asif Ali Zardari also urged the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights organisations, to take serious notice of the human rights situation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

In his message, Zardari called for an effective international role in securing a fair, peaceful and lasting resolution to the dispute. He said October 27, 1947, remained a painful reminder of the events that began when Indian troops landed in Srinagar and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

Meanwhile, residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir reiterated their solidarity with the people living across the Line of Control. They said the struggle against India’s control of the territory continued and called for Kashmiris to be allowed to determine their political future in accordance with UN resolutions.

Residents also emphasised the longstanding ties between Kashmiris and Pakistan, describing the relationship as enduring and inseparable.