In order to commemorate ‘Kashmir Black Day,’ the Embassy of Pakistan in Baghdad organized an event on 27^th October 2024. The objective of the event was to highlight different aspects of the Kashmir dispute, human rights violations, and continued atrocities being committed by the Indian Armed Forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), as well as to underscore the threat the situation in Kashmir could cause to regional peace and stability besides reiterating Pakistan’s continued commitment and support to the Kashmir cause and Kashmiri people.

A large number of Pakistani diaspora attended the event. The speakers highlighted the grave human rights situation in IIOJ&K and called upon India to stop brutalizing the innocent Kashmiris who have been suffering under its illegal occupation for the last seven decades. They demanded that India should immediately end its military siege, reverse its policy of demographic change, remove draconian laws, restore basic human rights, free all detainees, lift all restrictions on the free movement and communications, and allow full access to the UN and other international human rights observers and fact-finding Missions, including independent foreign media representatives, to witness the on-ground situation.

The Speakers also condemned India’s brazen violations of the UN Security Council’s resolutions and called for immediate intervention of the international community to put an end to state repression and holding a fair and impartial plebiscite to determine the will of Kashmiri people in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of Pakistan to Iraq, H.E Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed, emphasized that since 5^th August 2019, Kashmiris have been subjected to brute force, oppression, and unending military siege. He said, contrary to Indian claims of bringing development to the Kashmir valley, the real motive remains altering the demographics of the Muslim majority territory in pursuance of the BJP government’s extremist Hindutva ideology. He also said that Pakistan’s government and its people remain fully committed to the Kashmir cause. Pakistan will always remain the voice of conscience in the world for the rights of Kashmiri brothers and sisters, and the Kashmir cause will come to fruition. 

Baghdad

27^th October 2024