Pakistan’s PM Reaffirms Support for Kashmir on Black Day

In a powerful message on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned India’s 77-year occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

Sharif highlighted the oppressive actions India has taken to suppress the will of Kashmiris and stressed that peace in South Asia depends on resolving the Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Sharif reminded the global community that on this day in 1947, Indian troops entered Srinagar, beginning what he described as an occupation that has denied Kashmiris the freedom to determine their future. Over the past seven decades, Kashmiris have endured immense hardship, yet their resolve remains as strong as ever. “I pay my heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people, whose determination to achieve freedom will not go in vain,” Sharif stated.

The Prime Minister criticized India’s actions since August 5, 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked. He described these measures as an attempt to undermine the region’s disputed status and deny the Kashmiri people their democratic rights. “India’s coercive tactics will never suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he declared, warning that such policies only deepen the conflict.

Sharif drew attention to the severe restrictions imposed on Kashmiris, including thousands of political prisoners held under draconian counterterrorism laws. He highlighted the daily suffering faced by the people of Kashmir, whose freedoms and livelihoods have been severely curtailed by the Indian government. However, he stressed that these oppressive measures cannot extinguish the Kashmiri people’s desire for freedom.

Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s stance that peace and stability in South Asia hinge on the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with UNSC resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people. He urged India to recognize that force and repression cannot suppress the region’s aspirations for independence. “India must understand that its coercive policies will fail to bring lasting peace,” he said.

Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Kashmir. He pledged to continue providing moral, diplomatic, and political support to Kashmiris until their right to self-determination is fulfilled. Sharif also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the UN framework for resolving the conflict, urging the international community to hold India accountable for its actions in Kashmir.