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Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: Pakistan vows to continue support and raise Kashmiri voices

August 5, 2020, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir, around the world, are observing ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’, as ‘Kashmir Military Siege Day’ in solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The day marks the one-year anniversary of India’s abrogation of Article 370 of its constitution in a bid to integrate its only Muslim-majority region of India-administered Kashmir with the rest of the country.

One minute silence was observed across the country on the eve of Youm-e-Istehsal today. While rallies and special events are being organized.

On the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeated his stance to continue as an ‘ambassador’ for all Kashmiris subjected to a brutal fascist military siege by India since its illegal actions of 5th Aug last year.

Taking it to social media, in a series of Tweets, PM said, “I will address the AJK Assembly today to show solidarity with Kashmiris on Youm-e-Istehsal. Kashmiris in IIOJK have been subjected to a brutal fascist military siege by India since its illegal actions of 5th Aug last year followed by efforts to change the demography of IIOJK”.

“I will continue to be an ambassador for all Kashmiris whose voices India has tried to silence through its brutal illegal occupation of IIOJK. After many years, my govt raised the Kashmir issue effectively before the UN & exposed the Hindutva Supremacist fascism of the Modi Govt”, PM added.

“We have also depicted the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and our commitment to UNSC resolutions in the political map of Pakistan released yesterday”, said PM in his next tweet.

President Arif Alvi on Wednesday also lashed out against New Delhi for its continued oppression of Kashmiris. He said that “India has learned how to change the demography from Israel”.

He was addressing the attendees of a rally, held in Islamabad in solidarity with residents of occupied Kashmir. The president was flanked by Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi among other senators and officials.

Mr. President said, “India’s high-ups made many promises to Kashmiris and Pakistan but none of those promises were fulfilled.”

“They signed the Simla Agreement with us in which it was decided that [both countries] will hold bilateral dialogue, but to date, India has refused to hold talks. Whenever the issue was raised on multilateral forums, India made excuses saying that it was a bilateral issue but they are not ready to talk”, he added.

Pakistan did not accept Article 370 — which provided special status to the occupied region — originally as well because “we want the independence of Kashmir since it is not part of India”. Narendra Modi’s government, he lamented, repealed the law and changed Article 35(a) last year.

“If, over the past year, Kashmiris had appreciated the move [of repealing the region’s special status], India would not have to impose a lockdown in [occupied Kashmir],” he added.

Mr. President also stressed that the Pakistan government had always strived for peace. Even after India violated Pakistani airspace on the “false reaction on Pulwama” blast, Pakistan returned the captured Indian airforce pilot Abhinandan “to show to the world and India that we want peace, not war”.

“If the situation is peaceful then press should have complete freedom to report from the occupied region. He also demanded that the changes introduced by the Indian government against the Geneva Convention and UN rules should be withdrawn”, he stressed.