On the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal, the National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution condemning India’s illegal actions of August 5, 2019, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The resolution, moved by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Senator Amir Muqam, rejected New Delhi’s unilateral move to revoke Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution that had granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Indian actions are a blatant violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and international law,” read the resolution, which was approved by the House without opposition.
Lawmakers paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for their right to self-determination.
“The House strongly condemns the use of force, unlawful detentions, and suppression of Kashmiri voices, and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners,” the resolution added.
India’s illegal move, demographic engineering denounced
Speaking on the floor of the House, Senator Amir Muqam lashed out at India’s continued atrocities in the valley, accusing New Delhi of demographic engineering in an attempt to turn Muslim-majority Kashmir into a Hindu-majority region.
“India has martyred thousands of Kashmiri youth, turned children into orphans and women into widows,” he said. “Despite all this, the passion for Pakistan lives in the hearts of Kashmiris.”
The minister emphasized that the move to strip Kashmir of its special status not only breached UNSC resolutions but also violated moral and democratic principles.
Call for global action
The National Assembly called on the international community to take notice of the grave human rights situation in IIOJK and to press India to allow independent observers and human rights organizations into the region.
The resolution demanded that the issue be resolved according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people under the UNSC resolutions.
On August 5, 2019, India unilaterally revoked the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir, sparking outrage in Pakistan and among human rights organizations globally. Pakistan has since observed Youm-e-Istehsal annually to remind the world of the continued military siege and illegal actions by Indian forces in the region.
