Pakistan to continue support to Kashmiris’ struggle for self determination: Lodhi

NEW York: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Maleeha Lodhi has said that Pakistan will continue diplomatic, moral and political support to Kashmiris for their UN-recognized right to self determination.

Speaking at meeting held at the Pakistan House in New York to mark the 71st anniversary of India’s massive invasion and occupation of Kashmir, known as Black Day, Maleeha Lodhi said every day of Indian occupation is a black day for the people of the occupied Kashmir.

Lodhi while denouncing the large-scale brutalities being unleashed by Indian security forces in Occupied Kashmir said that it is possible to physically and illegally occupy territory but not possible to occupy hearts and minds of the Kashmiri people.

She said, “Today we pay tribute to the brave people of Kashmir who have resisted occupation for over 70 years and continue to do so. We pay tribute to all the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice in their freedom struggle.”

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Maleeha Lodhi also referred to the June 14 report of the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, which she said documented in detail the systematic violations of fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people, and called for an end to these.

She said, the Indian occupation continues to commit, with impunity, gross violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiri people, especially referring to the murder of eminent journalist Shujjat Bukhari, and the arrest of another journalist Atif Sultan.

Lodhi said that she raised the Kashmir issue five times in the past 10 days and will do so again and again.