PARIS, Aug. 5: The Embassy of Pakistan in France marked Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir with a special ceremony in Paris, reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and renewing its call for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
The event brought together members of the Pakistani diaspora, academics, journalists, students, and professionals to commemorate the anniversary of India’s actions of August 5, 2019, when it revoked the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Special messages from the President of Pakistan, the Prime Minister, and the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister were read during the ceremony, highlighting the historical background of the Kashmir dispute, the situation in IIOJK, and Pakistan’s position on the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, who is currently visiting France, addressed the gathering and paid tribute to the resilience and sacrifices of the Kashmiri people over the past 79 years. He condemned India’s measures of August 2019 and called for a settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, praised the courage and determination of the Kashmiri people in their continued struggle for the right to self-determination. She said India continues to deny Kashmiris their fundamental rights in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, which call for a free and impartial plebiscite to determine the future of the territory.
Ambassador Baloch described the measures introduced by India on August 5, 2019, as illegal and unprecedented, stating that they were intended to consolidate its control over the territory and alter the demographic and political landscape of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
She emphasized that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a national cause and a key pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy. She also highlighted the efforts of Pakistani diplomats worldwide to raise international awareness of the Kashmir issue and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to extending moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmiri people until the dispute is resolved in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Other speakers at the event strongly condemned India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, describing them as violations of international law and UN Security Council resolutions. They called for accountability over alleged human rights violations in IIOJK and reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
The ceremony concluded with participants renewing their commitment to keeping the Kashmir issue on the international agenda and supporting the Kashmiri people’s internationally recognized right to self-determination.
