Pakistan will raise Kashmir issue at every global forum, says Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue raising the voice of the Kashmiri people at every international forum and supporting their right to self-determination, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday as Pakistan and Kashmiris worldwide observed Black Day.

In a message marking October 27, Dar recalled that Indian troops entered Srinagar on October 27, 1947, a turning point in the decades-long Kashmir dispute. Nearly eight decades later, he said, the issue remains unresolved, with the Kashmiri people still deprived of their right to decide their political future.

Dar stressed that United Nations Security Council resolutions remain a key basis for resolving the dispute and called for renewed international efforts to secure a peaceful settlement.

He said the Kashmiri people’s struggle was rooted in the pursuit of justice, peace and self-determination, adding that their aspirations could not be suppressed through force or coercion.

The deputy prime minister also expressed concern over the detention of political leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir and highlighted the need for sustained international attention to the human rights situation in the disputed territory.

Dar noted that developments following India’s August 5, 2019, actions had drawn greater international attention to Kashmir. Pakistan has consistently opposed those measures and called for the protection of the region’s political rights and status.

Urging the international community to play a meaningful role in safeguarding the fundamental rights of Kashmiris, Dar said effective diplomatic engagement was essential to achieving a peaceful and lasting solution.

He reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue providing political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people and ensure that their concerns remained part of discussions at international forums.

Black Day is observed annually on October 27 by Pakistan and Kashmiris around the world to mark the arrival of Indian troops in Srinagar in 1947. The occasion serves as a reminder of the unresolved dispute and renewed calls for the implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions.

Pakistan maintains that a lasting settlement must reflect the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and uphold their right to self-determination.