President Asif Ali Zardari said that October 27, 1947, marks the “darkest day” in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, when Indian forces took control of Srinagar in violation of international law. In his message issued on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day, the President stated that the Kashmiri people have continued to face repression, human rights abuses, and collective punishment for generations.
President Zardari condemned India’s actions of August 5, 2019, when New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said the move was illegal, unethical, and a breach of international agreements. By stripping Kashmir of its autonomy, India violated global commitments and undermined the rights of the Kashmiri people, he added.
The President said that Kashmiris continue to endure military sieges, destruction of property, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and demographic changes intended to turn them into a minority in their own homeland. He termed these actions unacceptable and called them clear signs of systematic oppression.
President Zardari urged the international community to hold India accountable for human rights violations in the region. He said that peace in South Asia depends on the fair and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute according to United Nations Security Council resolutions.
He warned that recent aggressive measures taken by India pose a threat to regional stability. He paid tribute to the courage and resilience of the Kashmiri people and said that the entire Pakistani nation stands with them on Black Day.
President Zardari reiterated that Pakistan will continue its moral, political, and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri struggle for the right to self-determination.
