Islamabad: In a statement marking the observance of Kashmir Black Day, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan, criticized India’s military intervention in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing longstanding grievances regarding the region’s contentious accession to India. The day commemorates the events of October 27, 1947, when Indian forces entered the region following the signing of an instrument of accession by Maharaja Hari Singh, a move that Khan claims was marred by falsehoods and deception.

According to Press Information Department, Khan challenged the legitimacy of the accession, alleging that the document could not have been legally executed as the Maharaja was not present in Jammu on the date purported by the Indian government. Khan’s statement highlighted the disenfranchisement of the Kashmiri people and the violation of their right to self-determination, a principle recognized by the then-Governor General of India and reinforced by United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Khan asserted that the freedoms of residents in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir have faced significant infringement. He affirmed Pakistan’s continued support for the Kashmiri people, condemning India’s attempts to alter the region’s demographic and political landscape, and emphasizing the enduring desire for freedom among the Kashmiri populace.