Islamabad: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and around the globe marked Accession to Pakistan Day on Sunday, reaffirming their commitment to continue their struggle for liberation from Indian rule and to realize the aspirations outlined in the 1947 resolution on Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan.

According to Radio Pakistan, the historic resolution was unanimously adopted on July 19, 1947, by the genuine representatives of the Kashmiri people during a meeting of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference in Aabi Guzar, Srinagar. The resolution advocated for the region’s accession to Pakistan, citing religious, geographical, cultural, and economic ties, reflecting the aspirations of its Muslim majority. This resolution was passed nearly a month before the independence of Pakistan and India on August 14 and 15, 1947, respectively.

Hurriyat leaders and organizations emphasized the significance of July 19 in Kashmir’s history, noting that on this day, the people made a decision to align their future with Pakistan. They asserted that decades of Indian occupation have not diminished the Kashmiris’ connection to Pakistan. Inspired by the resolution, Kashmiris persist in their pursuit of accession to Pakistan, recalling Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s description of Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan.

A report from Kashmir Media Service highlighted that more than five hundred thousand Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom and accession to Pakistan since 1947. It also noted that since January 1989, Indian forces have martyred over ninety-six thousand five hundred Kashmiris, including seven thousand four hundred twenty-one while in custody. Furthermore, over three thousand Kashmiris, including Hurriyat leaders, remain incarcerated in jails across Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and India.