ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is observing the sixth anniversary of the unilateral move taken by India on August 5, 2019, to revoke the special constitutional status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), by holding Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir or the Day of Exploitation. Events are taking place across the country, with a strong reaffirmation of support from Pakistan’s civil and military leaders for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message, reaffirmed his point that the occupation of Kashmir is the principal conflict of the South Asia region and a major pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy. The Prime Minister denounced the actions on August 5, 2019, as a “sobering reminder of India’s rejection of peace and stability and its investment in brutality and unilateralism” and an action to change the demographic composition of the region.
The people of Kashmir have never fully accepted the changes in the Indian Constitution, and the acts of August 5 are not seen as a legitimate historical event but as an act of political maneuvering. PM Shehbaz observed that “India’s occupation cannot be sustained by any normal means, and it has thus doubled down on a nearly eight-decade regime of state terrorism and oppression.” He praised the bravery of Kashmiris, saying that “they have endured this brutality with incredible dignity.” To Kashmiris, the fight against foreign rule is a continuation of the struggle that began in 1947. Since then, Kashmiris have consistently resisted defining their future.
Adding to the unified stance, the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, and the rest of the Pakistan armed forces, renewed their declaration of unconditional support to the people of IIOJK. The statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the armed forces of Pakistan are in full support of the legitimate and continuing struggle of the Kashmiri people to realize their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in international law and United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
These sentiments were echoed by the Federal Minister of Kashmir Affairs, Engineer Amir Muqam, who described August 5 as a black day and accused India of a blatant violation of international law. He highlighted the use of military sieges, media blackouts, and the detention of political leaders as a campaign of oppression. The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, issued a video message asking the international community to hold India accountable in the region for human rights abuses and to pressurize India to withdraw its illegal activities.
Events to mark the day are being observed all over Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and even by Pakistani missions around the world. These involve rallies, special walks, and media broadcasts to show the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and the harshness of Indian oppression. The commemoration of Youm-e-Istehsal is a strong indication that Pakistan and the Kashmiri people do not accept the August 5 actions and will persist to pursue a just solution per UN Security Council resolutions.
