SRINAGAR: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has extended its heartfelt thanks to the government and people of Pakistan for their unwavering solidarity with the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, observed on August 5.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rasheed Minhas in a statement issued in Srinagar said, Pakistan’s support has significantly boosted the morale of the Kashmiri people. Minhas emphasized that Pakistan has consistently played the role of a true benefactor by standing with Kashmiris through every ordeal.
By commemorating the day, Islamabad has sent a clear message to the international community, particularly India that the entire Pakistani nation stands in solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their freedom movement. The struggle for self-determination will continue unabated until its achievement.
The APHC spokesman said that the BJP and RSS-led Indian government aims to revive a pre-Islamic Hindu civilization in Kashmir, eradicating its Muslim character. By settling non-locals in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he added, India seeks to alter the territory’s Muslim-majority status.
Meanwhile, illegally detained Hurriyat leader Maulvi Bashir Ahmad Irfani also expressed his gratitude to the Pakistani government and people for their support. He highlighted the significance of August 5 as a painful day in Kashmir’s history, marking the illegal revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by the Indian government.
Irfani condemned India’s actions, which have transformed occupied Jammu and Kashmir into an open prison, denying Kashmiris their basic political, social, and religious rights. He appealed to the United Nations, European Union, Islamic countries, and international human rights organizations to intervene and stop India’s atrocities, ensuring the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people.
Irfani said that Kashmiris would never accept the changes imposed on August 5, 2019, which have worsened the situation in IIOJK. India’s actions violate international norms, robbing Kashmiris of their honor and identity by revoking Article 370. He said, preserving their unique identity is a life-and-death issue for Kashmiri Muslims.
Opposition parties demand restoration of Kashmiris’ rights
Meanwhile, major opposition parties in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kahsmir, including the Congress staged protests in Jammu, demanding the restoration of statehood and criticizing the BJP-led Delhi regime’s decision to celebrate the abrogation of Article 370 on the fifth anniversary of the illegal action.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesters, led by Congress IIOJK chief Vikar Rasool Wani and Congress Working President Raman Bhalla, among others, raised slogans and demanded immediate restoration of statehood with safeguards for land, jobs, and natural resources for locals.
National Conference General Secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Saghar criticized the Modi government’s unilateral decisions made on August 5, 2019, stating they have failed to achieve their intended goals. Other opposition leaders, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the August 5 actions, terming the day as a “dark day” and a “blot on Indian democracy”.
