Ashraf AboArafe
Commemorating Kashmir Solidarity Day, the Embassy of Pakistan in Cairo today organized a seminar titled “Salute to the Just Struggle of Kashmiris for Self-Determination.” The ceremony was attended by a large number of intellectuals, members of civil society, media professionals, students and members of the Pakistani community.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the messages of the President, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this occasion were read. Pictures were displayed showing the ongoing human rights violations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is illegally occupied by India.
The guest speakers, representing Egyptian intellectuals and academia, stressed in their speeches that Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory, and that India has unilaterally changed its disputed status. Speakers noted that Indian state repression continues unabated in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and that Indian security forces are committing grave human rights violations in the occupied territories. The speakers urged that relevant UN Security Council resolutions should be implemented, and Kashmiris should be given the opportunity to exercise their inherent and natural right to self-determination. The guest speakers called for the Indian government’s fascist and anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim actions to be strongly condemned by the international community. The speakers noted that the gross human rights violations committed by the Indian occupation forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir require urgent attention from the international community.
Ambassador Sajid Bilal appreciated the guest speakers for highlighting the Kashmir issue and urged the international community to intervene to end the oppression of the Indian state in occupied Kashmir. He said that the words delivered by the participants are a manifestation of the strong support of the people of Egypt for our Muslim brothers in occupied Kashmir. The ambassador pointed out that the unilateral and illegal action taken by India on August 5, 2019 is a malicious attempt to turn Muslims into a minority in their lands. The ambassador stated that the Indian Supreme Court ruling issued on December 11, 2023 is another manifestation of India’s desire to undermine the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination.
Mr Bilal praised the sacrifices of the brave people of the Islamic Front and the Hurriyat Leadership who made priceless sacrifices in order to achieve the right to self-determination.
Mr Ambassador reiterated that Pakistan will continue to provide moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in every forum so that the people of Kashmir can achieve their natural right to self-determination in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and in accordance with their desires and aspirations.
