In a strong call for peace and justice, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged India to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute through dialogue. Speaking on Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir, a day marked to observe the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by India on August 5, 2019, Sharif emphasized that granting due rights to the people of Kashmir is the only way to achieve peace and stability in the region. He expressed his conviction that the day is not far when both India and Israel will be compelled to give due rights to the people of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), warning that any other path would lead to destruction.
Addressing the Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s stance as a nuclear power, which is part of its defense strategy but never intended for aggression. He reiterated the importance of choosing a peaceful approach and urged New Delhi to engage in dialogue to find a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict. He criticized India’s actions since August 5, 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out the ongoing efforts to silence the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people, suppress the media, and detain thousands of political prisoners. Harassment, arbitrary detentions, and frequent cordon and search operations by Indian forces operating with impunity under various draconian laws have become routine, he noted.
Shehbaz Sharif vowed that Pakistan would continue to provide moral support to the Kashmiris until they attain their basic rights and freedom. He committed to knocking on the doors of all international institutions to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri people. Paying tribute to the Kashmiri struggle for freedom, he acknowledged the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people who have endured atrocities and cruelties of the Indian armed forces for 77 years. He honored the contributions of Hurriyat leaders such as Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, Sardar Ibrahim Khan, Mirwaiz Muhammad Yousuf, Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Moulana Abbas Ansari, and the younger activists like Asiya Andrabi, Yaseen Malik, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Mussarat Alam Butt, and Burhan Wani, who have raised their voices against Indian oppression.
Turning to the situation in Palestine, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Israeli actions, highlighting that over 40,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, have been martyred. He decried the daily killings of unarmed Palestinians and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his army of breaking records of barbarism in Palestine. He specifically mentioned the martyrdom of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and criticized the arrest of the Imam of Aqsa Mosque for speaking about Haniyeh’s martyrdom. He recalled that Pakistan observed a day of mourning and held funeral prayers in absentia across the country in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address underscored Pakistan’s unwavering support for the rights of the Kashmiri and Palestinian people. His call for peaceful resolution through dialogue reflects Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability and justice. The prime minister’s condemnation of both Indian and Israeli actions highlights the broader struggle for human rights and self-determination in these regions.
