India’s hostile actions in Kashmir pose perpetual threat to regional security, says Pakistan military

• ISPR calls out India's belligerent rhetoric and hostile actions.
• President Alvi seeks fullest realisation of Kashmiris' legitimate rights.
• Aug 5 marks India's revocation of Article 370 in 2019.

As Kashmiris around the world observe Youm-e-Istehsal, rejecting India's atrocities imposed on the people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK), Pakistan military censured New Delhi for its hostile actions, stating they pose a perpetual threat to regional security.

"Such actions coupled with the Modi-led administration's belligerent rhetoric and hostile actions continue to perpetuate humanitarian and security crises in IIOJ&K and pose a perpetual threat to regional security," a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Saturday read, criticising India for revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

New Delhi's abrogation of Article 370, eliminating the special status of the occupied valley, was seen as an unwelcome move by the Kashmiris worldwide. The act by India led to a military siege and loss of autonomy, sparking an international outcry.

According to the ISPR, the chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCsSC), services chiefs, and Pakistan armed forces extended solidarity with the brave and resilient people of IIOJK in their just struggle for the right to self-determination according to UN resolutions.

"Continuation of inhumane military lockdown, illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory and the gross and systematic transgressions of human rights are all manifest violations of international law," the statement read.

The military insisted that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, according to UN Resolutions, and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, is imperative for enduring peace and stability in the region.

"Pakistan Armed Forces pay rich tribute to the martyrs of IIOJK for their supreme sacrifices, and affirm full support of Pakistan for provision of political, moral and humanitarian support to Kashmiris in their just struggle against tyranny and illegal subjugation," the ISPR said.

India's human rights violations against innocent Kashmiris have only been exacerbated in the wake of the revocation of the law, leaving the valley's residents threatened and forced to live under tyranny with curfews imposed time and again, and outsiders taking over their properties illegally.

President Alvi seeks peaceful resolution

President Arif Alvi, in his message for Kashmiris on this day marked with atrocity, said Pakistan would continue to be the voice of its Kashmiri brothers and sisters, who have been making invaluable sacrifices and will extend all possible support for the fullest realisation of their legitimate rights.

We have no doubt that durable peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved through a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, he added.

PM Shehbaz censures India

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking on the occasion, has extended his support for Kashmiris stating that Pakistan will continue to lend its unstinted moral, political and diplomatic support to the rightful and just cause of the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people.

"It is Pakistan’s abiding commitment and promise to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters that we will echo their voices, at every forum until the world takes action and urges India to end its egregious human rights violations and forcible occupation of IIOJK, undo all unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since 5 August 2019, and take necessary steps to carry out a fair and impartial plebiscite in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions," he said.

The premier said it has been four years since India unilaterally and illegally revoked the special status of IIOJK on 5 August 2019. Since then, he added, the Modi-led administration has resorted to the use of brutal force and violence to suppress the Kashmiri people.

"It has also undertaken a series of measures clearly aimed at altering the internationally recognised disputed status of IIOJK. In particular, India has tried to bring about demographic changes to undermine the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris," PM Shehbaz mentioned in his message.

The recent steps by India, he said, indicate its nefarious designs to disenfranchise the Muslim majority population of Kashmir.

"To this end, it has carried out a selective delimitation of electoral constituencies, issued fake domiciles to millions of non-Kashmiris, and added hundreds of thousands of temporary residents to alter the existing voter rolls," the premier lamented.

'Strategic mistake'

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has emphasised that Pakistan would continue to highlight the unchecked Indian atrocities in the IIOJK at every world forum.

The foreign minister said the unilateral and illegal action taken by the Modi government on August 5, 2019, was India’s last tactic against the occupied valley, which also failed.

“India cannot keep occupied Kashmir in the chains of its oppression and brutality for a long time,” he said, adding that the Modi-led government has one last chance to correct its strategic mistake through its Supreme Court, as it hears petitions challenging the revocation of Article 370.