Islamabad, Pakistan – Web Desk: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday paid tribute to the 22 Kashmiris martyred during the 1931 uprising against Dogra rule, as Pakistan observed the 95th Kashmir Martyrs’ Day (Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir) .

President Zardari’s Message

In a statement from the President Secretariat Media Wing, President Zardari said: “On this somber day, the people of Pakistan join their Kashmiri brethren in commemorating the sacrifice of the martyrs of 1931. Regrettably, Kashmiris are still struggling against India’s illegal occupation.”

The president noted that over 900,000 Indian occupation forces continue to hold Kashmiri people hostage. He condemned India’s actions of August 5, 2019, as “yet another attempt to strip the Kashmiri people of their distinct identity and turn them into a minority in their own land.”

Zardari also pointed out that India scrapped the regional public holiday on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, which had been observed since 1948, and discontinued the traditional Guard of Honour ceremony at the Martyrs’ Graveyard.

He urged India to halt repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), release political prisoners, lift the military siege, and stop attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory. He called on the international community to ensure respect for human rights in IIOJK and support a peaceful resolution in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

Prime Minister’s Message

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s “unwavering political, diplomatic, and moral support” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “We stand in complete solidarity with their just struggle for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,” he said in a statement.

The prime minister emphasized that “lasting peace and stability in South Asia remain contingent upon the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

“Their sacrifice marked a defining moment in the political awakening of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their struggle for dignity, fundamental rights and identity,” the prime minister added, noting that Kashmir Martyrs’ Day symbolizes the resilience, courage, and unwavering determination of the Kashmiri people.