Pakistan Embassy Observes Kashmir Black Day in Kathmandu, Calls for Renewed International Diplomatic Engagement

EDUCAST, The Embassy of Pakistan in Kathmandu organized an event to observe Kashmir Black Day under the theme “International Diplomacy and the Way Forward for Kashmir.” The programme brought together prominent Nepali journalists, intellectuals, and civil society representatives to discuss the role of international diplomacy in resolving the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute and realizing the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

The event marked the 79th anniversary of October 27, 1947, when Indian forces landed in Srinagar, an event that Pakistan regards as the beginning of India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Messages from Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar were read out during the programme. The messages reiterated Pakistan’s principled position on Jammu and Kashmir and its continued support for the Kashmiri people.

In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grave concern over the human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), particularly following India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019. He urged the United Nations and the international community to intensify efforts toward a just and peaceful settlement of the dispute in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that lasting peace and stability in South Asia depend on resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He highlighted restrictions on fundamental freedoms and the continued detention of Kashmiri political leaders and activists, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to providing moral, diplomatic, and political support to the people of IIOJK.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar underscored the importance of relevant UN Security Council resolutions in achieving a just, peaceful, and lasting settlement. Referring to continuing human rights concerns and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in IIOJK, he called for sustained international engagement to protect the rights of the Kashmiri people, including their right to self-determination.

Concluding the session, H.E. Mr. Mohammad Aamir Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, stressed the need for sustained and meaningful international diplomatic engagement to advance a just and lasting resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He called for renewed international efforts to uphold the Kashmiri people’s inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Participants reaffirmed their solidarity with the people of IIOJK and called on the international community to address reported human rights violations in the territory and support the realization of the Kashmiri people’s legitimate aspirations.

The programme highlighted the continuing significance of international diplomacy and multilateral engagement in addressing the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute.