Message from Dr. Arif Alvi, President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (On the occasion of the Kashmir Black Day i.e., 27 October 2021)

Seventy-four years ago, on 27th October 1947, India deployed troops to Srinagar in an unlawful intervention and illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir. The reign of terror and oppression that started on that day continues unabated. Successive Indian governments during the course of seven decades have subjected the people of Kashmir to worst forms of state-terrorism. The fascist regime of BJP, under the Hindutva ideology, has started persecuting Muslims and other minority communities. Moreover, India took illegal and unilateral actions on 5 August 2019 to deprive the Kashmiri people of their economic, political and land rights and change the demography of the IIOJK. Pakistan would not accept these illegal actions as they are in clear violation of several UNSC resolutions and the international law. India's use of state-terrorism against Kashmiris including extra-judicial killings, fake encounters, cordon-and-search operations, custodial torture, enforced disappearances, incarceration of Kashmiri leadership, use of pellet guns, and destruction of houses has not succeeded in breaking the will of the Kashmiris. Kashmiri people remain steadfast and have written with their blood a glorious chapter of commitment, courage and sacrifice in the annals of history. Contrary to Indian claims, Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute that has been on the agenda of the UN Security Council for over seven decades. Pakistan calls upon the international community to take practical steps to hold India accountable for its gross and systematic human rights violations in IIOJK. Peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UNSC Resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people, is the only way to ensure peace in the region. Pakistan pays tribute to the resilience and the indomitable spirit of the brave Kashmiris. India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir will definitely come to an end. The entire Pakistani nation will continue to stand with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their just struggle for self-determination in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions.