'Kashmir Solidarity Day' is being marked today (Wednesday) with a resolve to continue extending all out support to the people of Indian held Kashmir, who are struggling for more than seven decades to get their legitimate right to self-determination.
The day is being observed in Pakistan and other parts of the world at a time when Indian atrocities in held Kashmir have reached a new level of oppression and human rights denial to crush the indigenous freedom movement against the subjugating forces.
The government, political parties, NGOs and human rights bodies have planned a number of activities to mark the day and expose massive human rights violations and brutality being committed by the Indian forces to suppress the indigenous freedom movement.
The Pakistani nation will observe a minute's silence at 10am to pay tributes to 'Shuhada' of Kashmir for sacrificing their lives for the right to self-determination in line with resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Following which, a human chain will be formed. Human chains will also be formed at all connecting points of Pakistan and AJK.
TV and radio channels will broadcast different programmes regarding the Kashmir Solidarity Day. Newspapers will publish special editions to highlight the miseries of the people of held Kashmir.
Different political parties will hold functions, rallies and seminars to express solidarity with the Kashmiris. Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in his message said that Pakistan salutes the unwavering commitment and high passion of Kashmiris for the right of self-determination.
"February 5 reminds the international community to play its role for granting the right to Kashmiris to identify their political future in the light of UN resolutions," the CM said, adding: "The international community, as well as the global human rights bodies, should play their effective role to stop the worst brutalities being committed by the occupied Indian armed forces."
The CM asserted that India cannot deprive the Kashmiris of their right to independence by illegally changing the constitutional status of Occupied Kashmir and employing the policy of state-sponsored terrorism and torture. He emphasized that black face of claimants of so-called democracy has been fully exposed.
Usman Buzdar reaffirmed that Pakistanis are standing shoulder to shoulder with their Kashmiri brethren and the nation strongly condemns inhuman treatment meted out to the Kashmiri population. Today, the nation reassures the Kashmiris that they are not alone in their struggle and Prime Minister is fighting their case as an ambassador of Kashmiris, he said.