Pakistan marks 78th Kashmir Accession Day, renews call for UN-backed resolution of dispute

• Rallies, seminars and public gatherings held nationwide, in AJK, GB and across Kashmiri diaspora to commemorate historic July 19, 1947 resolution

• Pakistan reiterates Kashmir’s future must be decided through an impartial plebiscite in line with UNSC resolutions

• HR concerns in IIJoK highlighted as Islamabad renews support for Kashmiri right to self-determination

• Kashmir Media report claims over 500,000 Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives for freedom and accession to Pakistan since 1947

 ISLAMABAD: The 78th Kashmir Accession Day was observed across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), on Sunday to commemorate the historic resolution adopted by the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference on July 19, 1947, calling for the accession of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan, with commemorative events reaffirming support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination and a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.

The day was marked across Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and among the Kashmiri diaspora, where participants reiterated their support for the historic resolution and expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

A wide range of activities, including public rallies, seminars, conferences and public gatherings, were organized to commemorate the occasion.

Cities and towns were adorned with Pakistani and Kashmiri flags, while political parties, civil society organizations and student groups held events reaffirming their commitment to the July 19, 1947 resolution and the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.

Speakers at the commemorative events highlighted the historical significance of the 1947 resolution and called for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the relevant United Nations resolutions.

The historic resolution was unanimously adopted in 1947 during a meeting held at the residence of Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan in Srinagar.

Known as the 'Ilhaq-e-Pakistan' Resolution, it argued that Jammu and Kashmir's Muslim-majority population, geographical contiguity, shared cultural, linguistic, ethnic and economic ties with Pakistan, as well as the rivers flowing into Punjab, made accession to Pakistan imperative.

The resolution also expressed confidence in Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and urged the then ruler of the princely state, Maharaja Hari Singh, to announce accession to Pakistan before the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Pakistan maintains that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir should be determined through the will of the Kashmiri people in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 47 (1948), which called for a free and impartial plebiscite to determine the future of the territory. Pakistan also refers to subsequent UNCIP resolutions of 1948 and 1949 as part of the internationally recognized framework for resolving the dispute.

The observance comes amid continuing differences between Pakistan and India over the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern over the situation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution in August 2019, alleging increased restrictions, detentions and demographic changes in the region. India maintains that the constitutional changes are an internal matter and says they were intended to improve governance and development.

International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and reports issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), have documented allegations of human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, including restrictions on civil liberties, arbitrary detentions and excessive use of force. India has rejected many of these allegations, maintaining that its security measures are necessary to combat militancy and preserve law and order.

Over 500,000 Kashmiris sacrificed lives for accession to Pakistan since 1947

According to a report released by Kashmir Media on the occasion of Kashmir Accession Day, more than 500,000 Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Jammu and Kashmir and its accession to Pakistan since 1947. The report said that despite what it described as the worst forms of repression, the people of Kashmir remain steadfast in pursuing their political aspirations.

The report stated that Indian forces have martyred more than 96,502 Kashmiris, including 7,421 in custody, since January 1989. It further claimed that at least 8,000 Kashmiris have been subjected to custodial disappearance, more than 11,285 women have allegedly been molested, and over 110,610 houses, shops and other structures have been destroyed during the same period. It added that more than 3,000 Kashmiris, including Hurriyat leaders, remain imprisoned in various jails in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and India.

The report maintained that these measures have failed to deter Kashmiris from continuing their struggle, asserting that they remain determined to achieve their objective.

Referring to the observance of the 79th Accession to Pakistan Day, the report said Kashmiris are marking the day to reaffirm their belief that Kashmir and Pakistan are inseparable. It added that they continue their struggle in the spirit of the historic resolution adopted on July 19, 1947, supporting the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.

The report further stated that the July 19, 1947 resolution frustrated what it described as the designs of the Indian and British rulers against the Muslims of the region, adding that Kashmiris would continue their struggle until achieving freedom from Indian rule and accession to Pakistan.