Pakistani community in UAE observes Kashmir Black Day

DUBAI: Two community events were held at the Embassy of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi and Pakistan Consulate Dubai to observe ‘Kashmir Black Day’.

A large number of Kashmiri and Pakistani community members living in Abu Dhabi and Dubai attended the functions.

Mr. Muhammad Saeed Sarwar, Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi presided over the function.

Special messages of the President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan on the ‘Kashmir Black Day’ were read out during the event.

In his address, Saeed Sarwar lauded the heroic struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right of self-determination. He said that the Black Day was observed to remind the nation and the world about illegal occupation of Kashmir and highlight the plight of the Kashmiris in India-Occupied Kashmir (IoK).

He said that, on this day, the people of Pakistan renew their resolve to continue their support for the Kashmiri brothers and sisters till their legitimate aspirations for realization of right to self-determination is achieved in accordance with the UN resolutions and their wishes.

The Charge d’ Affaires noted that continuous incidents of human rights violations, desecration of human lives, rapes and depriving the children of their eye-sights through the use of pellet guns by the Indian forces were against the basic principles of human dignity.

He said that for over seventy years now, Kashmir dispute has remained on the agenda of the UN Security Council and since then it is a blot on the conscience of international community. During the event, a documentary was shown depicting the gross human rights violations being committed by the Indian Government in Kashmir.

Students of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Pakistan School, Abu Dhabi and Pakistan Community Welfare School, Musaffah sang national songs.

At the end of the function, special prayers were offered for the Kashmiri martyrs and for an early resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people.

The other public gathering was held at the Consulate General Dubai premises.

Mr Ahmed Shami, Acting Consul General, presided over the function. Special messages of the President and Prime Minister on the ‘Kashmir Black Day’ were read out during the event.

While addressing the gathering, Acting Consul General said that Pakistan has always forcefully raised the Kashmir issue at all international forums including the UN. As this year, Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mehmood Qureshi, highlighted the persistent human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) at the UN.

He pointed out that the foreign minister emphasised in his address that the unresolved Kashmir dispute poses a great threat to peace and stability in the region, so peace in the South Asian region directly relies on a justified settlement of Kashmir dispute in the light of UNSC resolutions and the will of the people of Kashmir.

The Acting Consul General also apprised the audience that 49-page report, the first ever issued by the UN on the human rights situation in Kashmir, has exposed flagrant violations of human rights by Indian forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

He informed that according to the report, the excessive use of the lethal weapon i.e. Pellet guns by Indian forces has led to killing of 17 people and injuring 6221 people (during 2016 to March 2017). Infact, many of the injured have been partially or completely blinded.

Lastly, Acting Consul urged major international powers /organizations to play their role by initiating immediately an international investigation into India’s crimes in the Kashmir and subsequently resolve the outstanding issue of Kashmir in accordance with UN’s resolutions. Kashmiri leaders also highlighted the significance of the day in their speeches.

The speakers re-affirmed the resolve of Kashmiris to continue the liberation struggle despite Indian forces atrocities till the objective is achieved.

They noted that in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, India is morally and legally bound to give the Kashmiri people their cherished right of self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter.

They called upon the international community to solve the dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people.

A short documentary on human rights violations being committed by the Indian occupation forces in Jammu and Kashmir was also screened on the occasion. The event concluded with special prayers for the Kashmiri martyrs and success of the struggle.