By John Okeke
Pakistanis community in Abuja , at home and abroad, today 5th February 2020 observed the Kashmir Solidarity Day .
On 5th February, every year since 1991, Pakistani people renew the pledge to continue their all-out support to their Kashmiri brethren who are engaged in a peaceful struggle to secure their inalienable right to self-determination.
In a release by the Pakistan High Commission in Abuja yesterday and made available to The Authority said ,” every year, the 5th of February reinforces our commitment to uphold the fundamental human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This day reminds the international community, especially the United Nations, of the imperative of honouring its commitment towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
It said the importance of the inalienable right to self-determination has been acknowledged in all important human rights Covenants and decisions of the United Nationals General Assembly and the Security Council due to Indian intransigence, the Security Council has failed to fulfill its pledge to the Kashmiri people.
It recalled that over 72 years of illegal occupation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) are a saga of brutalization of the Kashmiri people , adding ” Around 900,000 occupation forces have converted the region into the largest prison in the world. Post-5th August 2019, India has unleashed a new reign of terror in IOJ&K, locking the region down and abusing human rights of the innocent people especially women, children and the elderly with impunity. Kashmiri people have been deprived of their rights to life, food, health, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and, above all, the right to self-determination for over 150 days.
Pakistan High Commission lamented that the recent wave of unprecedented Indian state-sponsored terrorism in IOJ&K and discriminatory steps against minorities, especially Muslims, are a clear manifestation of the Hindutva ideology espoused by the RSS-inspired Indian Government.
“Pakistan will continue to extend unstinted moral, political and diplomatic support to the just cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Our support will continue till the realization of the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions,” the release added.
