Dar vows Pakistan will press Kashmir case at every world forum

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue to raise the voice of Kashmiris at every international forum and keep supporting their right to self-determination, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a message issued as Pakistan observed Kashmir Black Day on Tuesday, 27 October.

In the message, reported by Minute Mirror and Daily Times, Dar recalled that Indian troops entered Srinagar on 27 October 1947, which he described as a turning point in the dispute. Nearly eight decades later, he said, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains unresolved and Kashmiris are still denied the right to decide their political future.

Dar said United Nations Security Council resolutions remain the key basis for a settlement and called for renewed international efforts towards a peaceful resolution. He said the Kashmiri struggle is rooted in the pursuit of justice, peace and self-determination, and that these aspirations cannot be suppressed through force or coercion.

The deputy prime minister expressed concern over the detention of political leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir and said sustained international attention to the human rights situation there was needed. He said India's actions of 5 August 2019 had drawn greater international attention to the dispute, adding that Pakistan has consistently opposed those measures and called for the region's political rights and status to be protected.

Urging the international community to play a meaningful role in safeguarding the fundamental rights of Kashmiris, Dar said effective diplomatic engagement was essential to achieving a peaceful and lasting solution. He reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people and keep their concerns on the agenda at international forums.

Daily Times reported that official events, protest marches and diplomatic briefings were held to mark the day, and that Pakistani missions abroad were conducting outreach campaigns. Foreign ministry officials were quoted as saying that diplomatic efforts would continue at the United Nations General Assembly and other multilateral organisations, while border security forces maintain vigilance along the Line of Control.

Black Day is observed every year on 27 October to mark the arrival of Indian troops in Srinagar in 1947. Pakistan maintains that any lasting settlement must reflect the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and uphold their right to self-determination.

No casualty or security incident was reported in the statements carried by either outlet.