Ashraf AboArafe
Embassy of Pakistan Cairo organized a seminar titled “Kashmir under brutal Indian Occupation” at the Chancery to commemorate Youm-e-Istehsal of Kashmir, today. Messages of the President, the Prime and the Foreign Minister were read out during the event.
The panel of speakers included notables from Egyptian intelligentsia, academia, media and civil society. A large number of Egyptian citizens and members of Pakistani community in Egypt attended the event.
The speakers in their presentations condemned Indian Occupation Forces’ atrocities against innocent Kashmiris. They rejected the malafide conviction and sentencing of Kashmiri political leaders. Serious concerns at Indian government’s anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim policies were expressed by the panelists. The speakers demanded that the international community must call out India for its human rights violations of Kashmiris. They reiterated that the world leaders must play a role in facilitating a just and peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. They highlighted that non-implementation of relevant UN resolutions on Kashmir is a question mark on the collective conscience of the leadership of the free world.
In his remarks, Ambassador Sajid Bilal stated that five years ago, India ramped up its apartheid in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) on 5th August 2019. On this day, India unilaterally abrogated Article 370 and 35 A of its constitution. He said that India has deprived the Kashmiri people of their fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and religion. He noted that despite 77 years of brutal illegal occupation and five years of continuous military siege, media blackout and use of force, India has failed to silence the voice of the brave Kashmiri people. India has utterly disregarded all its commitments, relevant UN Resolutions, international norms and conventions, further added the Ambassador.
Ambassador Sajid Bilal reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to extend its moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people at all forums until the realization of their legitimate right to self-determination.
