ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said the fascist policies of the Narendra Modi-led government had failed to “crush the spirit of Kashmiri resistance” in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The prime minister tweet, on the occasion of Kashmir Day, emphasised that Pakistan stood united with its “Kashmiri brothers and sisters” and was committed to the “legitimate” Kashmiri struggle for self-determination.
Urging the world to take notice of grave human rights violations in the occupied valley, the premier highlighted that India had committed “crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocidal acts” in Kashmir and had perpetuated the “threat of forced demographic change”, all of which was in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
PM Imran reiterated that it was the international community’s responsibility to ensure an impartial plebiscite in Kashmir.
“The world must not ignore the plight of the people of IIOJK and their undeniable desire to free themselves from the Indian state’s draconian military occupation”, he said.
Reiterating Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris, President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said the entire nation stood with Kashmiris.
“It is our firm belief that the Kashmiris will succeed in their valiant struggle to secure freedom from oppression and illegal occupation,” he said.
The head of state highlighted that over 900,000 Indian occupation forces had turned IIOJK into an open prison. “India was using state terrorism against Kashmiris including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, staged encounters and search operations.”
He added that, “For more than seven decades, IIOJK has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear, and of sacrifice against tyranny but through all of it, the Kashmiri people have persisted and stood firm in the face of continuing Indian campaign of brutalisation which has used every inhuman tactic and draconian laws to perpetuate the illegal occupation IIOJK.”
In a bid to express solidarity with the people living in IIOJK, Kashmiris living all over the world including Pakistan will observe Kashmir Day on Saturday.
Banners, posters and flags have been hung on the main streets and squares of cities, highlighting Indian atrocities in IIOJK, sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiri people and expressions of solidarity by Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is on a four-day visit to China, cited India’s aggressive behaviour and the prevailing Hindutva ideology as a threat to regional peace and a cause of lingering instability of the region.
The premier’s remarks came in an exclusive session with the heads and representatives of leading Chinese think tanks, universities and the Pakistan Study Centre in Beijing.
PM Imran said that the present Indian regime is causing long-lasting instability in the region. “The atrocities of India are continuing in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK). The world should pay attention to the ongoing atrocities of India against Kashmiris,” he maintained.
He also thanked China for its unwavering support to the IoK dispute, emphasising the importance of Pak-China relations and ensuring regional stability and prosperity.
“In view of myriad global challenges, the world did not need another Cold War. Divisions could result in mounting sufferings and prevent common benefits. Pakistan was, therefore, of the belief that the key driver in international politics should be cooperation, rather than confrontation,” he said.
He recalled that Pakistan in the past had played a role in building bridges and remained ready to do so again.
Referring to Pakistan’s National Security Policy, the prime minister stressed that his government put economic security at its core. This vision is built upon connectivity and development partnership for which China remains an indispensable partner for Pakistan, he added.
The importance of Sino-Pak relations in ensuring regional stability and prosperity was also discussed during the meeting.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s All-Weather Strategic Partnership with China, the prime minister highlighted the importance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
He emphasised that while Phase-I of the CPEC was focused on infrastructure development and connectivity, the next phase would focus on industrialisation, cooperation in information technology and agricultural transformation.
The prime minister highlighted that Pakistan was offering incentives for investment that were at par with or better than other investment destinations.
Discussing the regional dynamics, the premier said that he believed that it was in the mutual interest of Pakistan and China to cooperate in ensuring peace and security in Afghanistan.
He called on the international community that Afghans were not left alone in this time of need. He underlined the importance of Pakistan and China working with Afghanistan to advance shared objectives of peace, development and connectivity.
He further said that cooperation ensuring peace and security in Afghanistan is in the mutual interest of Pakistan and China. The international community should not leave Afghans alone in this difficult time, he emphasised.
