Kashmiris mark Black Day on October 27; Pakistan leaders voice support
Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and abroad marked Black Day on October 27, with a shutdown and protests in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, according to APP. Pakistan's president, prime minister and other leaders issued messages of support.
- Black Day was observed on October 27 on both sides of the Line of Control and abroad.
- APP reported a complete shutdown and protest in Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir.
- President Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif linked South Asian peace to resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
- Ishaq Dar and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also issued statements.
Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and in many countries marked Black Day on October 27, according to Associated Press of Pakistan. The day is observed to tell the world that India has, in their words, occupied their homeland by force and against their will since 1947.
APP reported that the day would be marked by a complete shutdown and protest in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani reports said October 27, 1947 was the day Indian troops landed in Srinagar, which they describe as the start of the occupation.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's support for the people of the territory in separate messages on Monday. They said lasting peace and stability in South Asia remained closely linked to resolving the Kashmir dispute.
According to Geo News, the president urged the United Nations and human rights groups to address the situation in the territory. The prime minister condemned restrictions imposed since India's August 2019 move. Both paid tribute to Kashmiris who made sacrifices.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan's political, moral and diplomatic support for the people of the territory, according to The Nation. He urged the international community to help secure their right to self-determination.
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned what he called India's illegal occupation. He said that even after nearly eight decades, denial of the Kashmiris' right to self-determination remains a continuing question mark over the world's conscience.
In Azad Kashmir, President Dr Muhammad Najeeb Khan and Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani said in a special message that India could not end the Kashmiris' spirit of freedom despite all its tactics, according to Daily Pakistan. Nawa-i-Waqt also reported a unanimous Senate resolution on the issue.
Why it matters
Kashmir is a core national issue in Pakistan, and the statements show the government's position on India-Pakistan tensions.
