Muzaffarabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that February 5 serves as a stark reminder to India that Kashmir cannot become a part of its territory through actions like those of August 5, 2019.
Addressing the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the premier stated that he, along with his colleagues, was present to express solidarity on behalf of 240 million Pakistanis. He paid tribute to the martyrs of Kashmir and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to their struggle for self-determination.
“February 5 is a day to renew our firm resolve towards the Kashmiri people’s freedom struggle. It is also a day that loudly reminds India that unilateral measures like those of August 5 will never make Kashmir a part of its territory,” he asserted.
The prime minister urged India to engage in meaningful and result-oriented dialogue on the Kashmir dispute, emphasizing that it is in India’s and the region’s best interests to move beyond the mindset of August 5, 2019. “The Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through war and oppression,” he stated.
Highlighting the continued presence of a massive Indian military force in occupied Kashmir, PM Shehbaz noted that despite such measures, the Kashmiris’ yearning for freedom continues to grow. “India must come to its senses and abandon actions like those of August 5. Instead, it should opt for constructive negotiations,” he urged.
He further warned that the shedding of Kashmiri blood will not lead to a resolution of the issue, adding that history will remember the oppressors for their brutalities. “Kashmir is not a part of India—neither do Kashmiris accept this, nor do UN resolutions recognize it,” he declared.
PM Shehbaz also reiterated that he has raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and other global forums, vowing to continue advocating for the Kashmiri cause. “Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah rightfully termed Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan, and we will never abandon our Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle,” he affirmed.
