ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering moral, diplomatic, and political backing for the Kashmiri people. He reiterated their fundamental, inalienable right to self-determination, which is guaranteed by the pertinent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
In his message for Kashmir Solidarity Day, observed on February 5, the president stated that the people of Pakistan around the world stand united with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their just struggle.
He recalled that Kashmir Solidarity Day was initiated 36 years ago by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto following the historic uprising in Kashmir in 1989, a movement that continues to this day.
President Zardari stated that for nearly eight decades, they have remained firm in the face of what he termed illegal Indian occupation, rendering immense sacrifices for their fundamental rights and freedoms.
He expressed deep concern over the prevailing situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), stating that the unilateral and illegal actions of August 5, 2019, had further exacerbated the plight of the Kashmiri people.
The President said India had intensified efforts to entrench its control through administrative and legislative measures, curbing media freedoms, incarcerating Kashmiri leadership, and attempting to alter the demographic composition of the territory.
He also highlighted what he defined as grave human rights violations by Indian occupation forces, quoting international reports that point to a rise in arbitrary detentions, collective punishment, and punitive house demolitions.
He added that the suppression of digital freedoms, including the blocking of thousands of social media accounts, reflected attempts to conceal the realities on the ground.
In light of the recent profiling of mosques and mosque management committees in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), President Zardari labeled these actions as intentional intimidation aimed at limiting the religious freedom of the Muslim majority population.
He stated that such measures are part of a broader pattern of religious persecution and emphasized that the people of Kashmir have an inalienable right to practice their religion free from fear and discrimination.
The president also cautioned that the military escalation initiated by India in May 2025 highlighted the precariousness of peace in South Asia. He stressed that lasting regional stability cannot be achieved without a fair resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Calling on the international community to move beyond expressions of concern, President Zardari urged it to press India to end human rights violations in IIOJK, allow unhindered access to international human rights observers, and fulfill its commitment to granting Kashmiris their right to self-determination.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s stance, he stated that the country will continue to support the Kashmiri people until they can determine their future through a free and impartial plebiscite.