Pakistan stands with Kashmiri people in their ‘just’ struggle for freedom: Munir Akram

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 27 (APP):The United Nations has a duty to uphold its own resolutions on the decades-old Kashmir dispute and promote a just and peaceful resolution in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said in a message on the occasion of the Kashmir Black Day.

“On this solemn day,” he said, “we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to standing by the Kashmiri people, advocating for their human rights, and striving for a future of peace, freedom, and dignity for them.”

“Today,”  Ambassador Akram  said, “as we observe Kashmir Black Day, we remember the grave injustices faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The events of October 27, 1947, marked the beginning of an occupation that has denied Kashmiris their fundamental right to self-determination, a right enshrined in the UN Charter and affirmed through Security Council resolutions.

“Tragically, this denial of rights has only intensified, especially following the unilateral and unlawful actions of August 5, 2019.”

Since that fateful day, he said that the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been subjected to an unprecedented lockdown, systematic human rights violations, and severe restrictions on their freedom and dignity.

“Countless reports by international human rights organizations and independent observers have documented instances of excessive use of force, extra-judicial killing enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and collective punishment. The imposition of media blackouts, restrictions on freedom of expression, and curfews have sought to isolate the people of Kashmir from the world and curtail their ability to seek their right to self-determination.”

Pakistan, Ambassador Akram said, stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for freedom and self-determination.

“We call upon the international community and the United Nations to hold those responsible for these violations accountable and to ensure that the voices of the Kashmiri people are heard.”