Daily Times

The government and the people of Pakistan will observe the upcoming Kashmir Solidarity Day (February 05) in a befitting manner to send a strong message of support to their brethren in occupied territory, said Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday.

Addressing a news conference here, the special assistant said Prime Minister Imran Khan had reiterated unflinching support to the brethren in Indian-held Kashmir and asked the party leadership, the government and the media to express solidarity with Kashmiris. She called upon the nation to send a strong message of support to the Kashmiri people and give a jolt to the world conscience seeking its role in stopping Indian atrocities in the occupied region.

“Kashmir cause is our top priority. The prime minister has desired nationwide support to Kashmiri people and activities in this regard have been started from February 01 that will continue beyond February 05,” she stated. Besides observing the day at government level, the party leadership has been directed to observe the day at district, tehsil and municipal committees level so that people within the country and abroad realize the gravity of situation in the occupied valley, she added.

She said India was subjugating rights of Kashmiri people in the worst form of state terrorism as Indian occupied forces are trampling down all legal and constitutional norms by subjugating Kashmiri people and denying them their just right to self-determination.

Talking about Shehbaz Sharif, Dr Firdous Ashiq said maligning his opponents through fake news has been the hallmark of PML-N president. About lawsuit filed by Shahbaz Sharif in London High Court against a UK newspaper, she said it has been the character of Shahbaz Sharif to influence the media. She, however, said the PML-N leader stands entangled in his own trap. She said the courts in England will also see the real face of Shahbaz Sharif. She said it will not have taken him six months to move the court if he was truthful.

Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Saturday said that on February 5, the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the people of Pakistan will express complete solidarity with innocent people of Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) against atrocities being committed on them by Indian forces.

In a statement, while directing to observe the Kashmir Day with full zeal, he urged the people to actively take part in rallies and gathering to be held to express solidarity with Kashmiris. A number of programmes would be organised in divisional headquarters of Punjab, districts and tehsils with regard to the Kashmir Day, he added.

The chief minister said that debate and essay writing competitions will be held in educational institutes in connection with the day whereas rallies would also be organised in different cities as well. He said Kashmiri brethren are not alone in their just cause of freedom, adding the entire Pakistani nation is with them. He said that Modi government has badly ruined democratic values in the occupied valley.