The Pakistan High Commission in the United Kingdom on Friday observed the Jammu and Kashmir Black Day to commemorate a sombre milestone in the history of the region.
On this day in 1947, India forcibly occupied Jammu and Kashmir by landing its army in Srinagar against the will and wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The event featured both virtual and in-person participation by cross-party British parliamentarians, Kashmiri leaders, members of academia and representatives of human rights organizations.
The messages of the President, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were read out on the occasion.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Dr Mohammad Faisal, in his remarks, underscored the significance of Jammu and Kashmir Black Day, marking the day when India, 76 years ago, violated international law and morality by deploying its troops in Srinagar, based on a fraudulent instrument of accession.
He brought attention to the ongoing oppression of innocent Kashmiri people by the Indian occupation forces, a pres
s release issued by Pakistan High Commission said.
The High Commissioner emphasized the urgent need for international action to end draconian laws and human rights abuses in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
British parliamentarians and speakers expressed solidarity with the Kashmiris, highlighting concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the IIOJK.
They called on the UK Government to protect the Kashmiris’ rights, vowed to continue addressing human rights violations in the UK’s Parliament and urged India to grant access to human rights organizations.
Emphasizing it as a matter of human rights and self-determination, they called for international intervention based on UN Security Council resolutions.
Earlier, a photo exhibition at the High Commission displayed evidence of ongoing atrocities committed by Indian occupation forces in the IIOJK, serving as a stark reminder of the need to address the human rights situation and work towards a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kas
hmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The worldwide commemoration of Jammu and Kashmir Black Day serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to address the humanitarian crisis in the IIOJK, protect the human rights of the Kashmiris, and achieve an early resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.