Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif marked Youm-e-Istehsal by expressing steadfast solidarity with the Kashmiri people, emphasizing the ongoing challenges posed by India’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir. The observance commemorates the events of August 5, 2019, when India altered the region’s status, a move Pakistan views as a violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions.

According to Press Information Department, Prime Minister Sharif highlighted that these measures have not altered the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir or quelled the Kashmiri people’s aspirations. Instead, they have intensified repression and attempted demographic changes. The Prime Minister emphasized the continued resolve of the Kashmiri people in their pursuit of self-determination, underscoring that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is pivotal for enduring peace in South Asia.

The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful resolution through diplomatic channels and urged the international community to press India to reverse its post-2019 measures and end human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Sharif’s statement underscores the centrality of the Kashmir issue in Pakistan’s foreign policy and reaffirms the country’s support for the Kashmiri cause on international platforms.