Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday dismissed India's attempt to equate Kashmiri people's freedom struggle with terrorism and pledged Pakistan's continued moral and diplomatic support for Kashmiri people. He was addressing a special ceremony organised by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Black Day observed by Pakistan to condemn the brutalities by Indian armed forces against innocent and unarmed civilians.
Aziz said that the people of Kashmir were fully justified in demanding their right to self-determination and rejected the India's attempt to equate the freedom struggle with terrorism. He expressed concern that India was avoiding to engage in the dialogue with Pakistan by linking the freedom struggle by Kashmiri people with terrorism. He underscored the need for initiating a serious dialogue process on all outstanding issues especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The Adviser said that Pakistan would continue to raise Kashmir issue at all international forum, adding it has already expedited its diplomatic efforts to apprise the world of the ongoing atrocities against Kashmiri people in Indian held Kashmir by the country's security forces. He said that Pakistan would continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir for their struggle for freedom, adding involvement of Kashmiri leadership was vital for the success of any talk on the issue and a step forward towards a meaningful resolution.
The officers of the Ministry participated in the ceremony, which was also addressed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi. In their statements; both Adviser and the Special Assistant strongly condemned the inhuman and oppressive measures of the Indian armed forces.
They urged that Pakistan was a party to the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and demanded that those resolutions be implemented by India. All the participants, who were wearing black arm bands as a gesture of solidarity with the Kashmiri people, expressed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.