TEHRAN, Oct 27 (APP):The Embassy of Pakistan in Iran observed Kashmir Black Day at Pakistan House on Tuesday, reaffirming Islamabad’s steadfast support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Distinguished guests, academics, university representatives, members of the Iranian intelligentsia and people from various walks of life attended to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran Imran Ahmed Siddiqui recalled the historical significance of 27 October 1947, when Indian troops landed in Srinagar, beginning a prolonged period of suffering for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He noted that it was India itself that brought the Kashmir question before the United Nations Security Council on 1 January 1948, invoking the UN Charter. On 21 April 1948, UN Security Council Resolution 47 envisaged a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices to determine the region’s future. Eight decades on, he said, the implementation of these resolutions remains pending.
Ambassador Siddiqui reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to extending moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris. He stressed that the credibility of the international order rests on a simple proposition: commitments must be honored, international law must be applied consistently, and the rights of people must not be sacrificed to political expediency. He urged the international community to call upon India to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions so that the people of Jammu and Kashmir can exercise their right to self-determination in line with their aspirations.
Guest speakers from the international departments of several Iranian universities underlined the importance of resolving the longstanding dispute through implementation of UN resolutions in letter and spirit. They said a peaceful and lasting solution must reflect the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The speakers also recalled the support voiced on various occasions by the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for the Kashmiris and their struggle for freedom.
A documentary highlighting the plight and suffering of the Kashmiri people was screened, alongside a pictorial exhibition depicting the hardships they face and their continued struggle for fundamental rights and self-determination.
An Iranian poet recited a poem dedicated to Kashmir, expressing solidarity with its people and their enduring quest for justice and dignity. Messages from President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister/Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar were also read out.
The event concluded with a renewed expression of solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and a call for sustained international attention to the dispute. The observance reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to continue advocating a peaceful resolution in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
