The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government observed Black Day on Monday to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and to condemn Indian human rights violations. The day marks October 27, 1947, when Indian forces entered Jammu and Kashmir, a move Pakistan and Kashmiris term as an illegal occupation.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, said in his message that the occupation and subsequent oppression by Indian forces has continued for decades. He stated that freedom is the fundamental right of the Kashmiri people, adding that Pakistan stands firmly with them in their struggle for the right of self-determination. He urged global human rights organizations to take notice of the situation and called on the United Nations to ensure implementation of its resolutions guaranteeing Kashmiris their right to decide their future.
Afridi said that lasting peace in the region is linked to a fair and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to extend political, moral, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people.
Meanwhile, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi also issued a statement on the occasion, saying that the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is a clear violation of international law and United Nations resolutions. He said that Kashmiris have faced severe state repression for more than seven decades and continue to resist Indian control.
Governor Kundi reiterated that the people and government of Pakistan stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Kashmiri people. He expressed hope that the sacrifices of Kashmiris will eventually lead to their freedom, adding that oppression cannot prevail indefinitely.
Black Day is observed annually across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to highlight the ongoing dispute and draw international attention to what Pakistan describes as the prolonged illegal occupation and human rights violations in the region.
