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Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day, pledges support for IIOJK

Published on: February 5, 2026 12:00 PM

Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day, reaffirms support for Kashmiris

Pakistanis across the country are observing Kashmir Solidarity Day on Thursday, reaffirming support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their struggle for self-determination, in line with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. The day is marked as a public holiday, with solidarity walks taking place nationwide and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Read More: Pakistan declares holiday for Kashmir solidarity day

President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the Kashmiri people, paying tribute to their resilience and sacrifices over nearly eight decades of illegal Indian occupation. He recalled that Kashmir Solidarity Day was first observed 36 years ago by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto following the historic 1989 Kashmiri uprising.

President Zardari expressed concern over the situation in IIOJK, citing the unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, which he said worsened the plight of Kashmiris. He highlighted India’s administrative and legislative measures, media restrictions, incarceration of Kashmiri leaders, suppression of digital freedoms, and profiling of mosques as deliberate attempts to consolidate control and restrict religious freedom. He warned that military escalations in May 2025 further underscored the fragility of peace in South Asia, stressing that regional stability requires a just resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he termed grave human rights violations in IIOJK and called on the international community to ensure Kashmiri self-determination through a free and impartial UN-led plebiscite.

Read More: Govt declares public holiday on Feb 5 for Kashmir Solidarity Day

The Pakistan Armed Forces, led by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, reaffirmed their support for the people of IIOJK. They condemned extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and demographic manipulation, and urged international action to alleviate the suffering of Kashmiris while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to sovereignty and solidarity with the Kashmiri struggle.

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