Daily Times

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday said both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have always raised the Kashmir issue at every international forum because of their emotional attachment with the cause. “The government will express solidarity with the Kashmiris on August 5 against the Indian move of revoking the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special status,” she said in a meeting with Senior Hurriyat leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement President Altaf Ahmed Bhat who arrived at her residence to congratulate her on assuming the portfolio of Information Ministry.

Meanwhile, Pakistani embassies around the world were directed to expose the Indian initiative of unilateral revocation of Kashmir’s autonomous status by nullifying article 370 of the Indian constitution. “The government is committed to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in line with Nawaz Sharif’s vision,” she said.

The minister added that the steps taken by India on August 5 were not recognized then by the government of Pakistan and would not be accepted now.

“Kashmir is a disputed territory whose future remains to be decided and it can only be resolved by giving its people the right to decide on their future through plebiscite in accordance with the United Nation’s resolutions,” she added.

She said the United Nations should implement its resolutions on Kashmir and give Kashmiris their birthright.

Former Mayor Rawalpindi Sardar Naseem Khan and Tahira Aurangzeb, mother of the Federal Information Minister were also present on occasion.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Kashmir and Pakistan cannot be separated from each other. “Leaders of Hurriyat and Kashmiri people have made immense sacrifices for their freedom which cannot be ignored,” she added.

Talking on the occasion, Altaf Ahmed Bhat said that the measures taken by India on August 5 were illegal, unconstitutional and immoral.

He said India has been busy and brought Israeli-style demographic changes in IIOJ&K and so far more than four million hardcore Hindus have been issued Kashmiri residency certificates, which was totally illegal and unconstitutional. He said that in order to suppress the Kashmir Independence Movement, India had imprisoned the leaders of Hurriyat in false and baseless cases so that the voice of Kashmiris could not reach the world. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabbir Shah, Yasin Malik, Zafar Akbar Bhat, Qasim Faktoo, Asiya Andrabi, Naeem Khan and many other Hurriyat leaders were behind bars, he lamented.

Recently, Indian agencies assassinated Syed Ali Gilani and Ashraf Sahrai in custody, he said, adding India wanted to suppress the voice of Kashmiris by force.

“Every day Indian army is killing innocent Kashmiris through fake and baseless crackdowns and encounters,” Bhat remarked. Chairman JKSM said despite all the vicious tactics of India, the Kashmiri people were patiently continuing the freedom movement. The everlasting struggle and unparalleled sacrifices of the Kashmiri people had brought the Kashmir issue to the forefront of the world.

“Pakistan is an important party and advocate of Kashmir. It will have to take concrete steps as needed to resolve the Kashmir issue at the global level in its true context,” he maintained.