Kashmir Black Day observed in Chicagoland and Pakistani Missions

The Consulate General of Pakistan, Chicago organized a big seminar to commemorate the Kashmir Black Day in Chicago. People from different walks of life, including scholars, academicians, activists, journalists, students and members of Pakistani-American community of the Midwest attended.

The ceremony began with Recitation from the Holy Quran. A short documentary highlighting various aspects of the Kashmir issue, particularly the post-August 05, 2019 scenario, was screened to sensitize the audience of human rights violations being committed by Indian occupation forces. Messages of the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan were also read out to the audience.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Message was read out. In the message He said, "this year’s ‘Kashmir Black Day’ is distinct from other years." He said that on Oct 27, 1947, India had occupied Jammu and Kashmir and on Aug 5 of this year, “It took further steps to unilaterally alter the disputed status of the territory and change its demographic structure and identity”.

The members of Pakistani-American community in their remarks rejected the Indian annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and said that these illegal Indian measures could not change the internationally recognized status of IOJ&K. Solution of this dispute was provided under the UN Security Council resolutions granting them the right to exercise self-determination. They further said that complete lockdown of the IOJ&K after August 5, was a blot on the face of humanity and international community needs to act urgently to avoid any human catastrophe there. They expressed their unanimous resolve to vigorously highlight the plight of besieged Kashmiri people at every forum including in their interactions with their congressional representative.

Consul General Javed Ahmed Umrani in his address said that India exhausted all its resources during the past seven decades to intimidate the people of occupied Kashmir into submission. However, Kashmiris are still steadfastly pursuing their right to self-determination. Indian troops in unabated state terrorism since January 1989 till 19th September 2019 martyred over 100,000 innocent Kashmiris; countless injured, 22,000 women widowed, 12,000 raped and 108,000 children orphaned. Agony of those abducted, disappeared and tortured is untold. A recent report compiled by eminent Indian activists divulged that since 5th August, Indian security forces have abducted 13,000 young boys with no information on their whereabouts.

He reiterated that Pakistani leadership and people have always supported the just liberation struggle of the people of Kashmir and Prime Minister, Imran Khan, since assuming his office in August 2018 has time and again warned that the Kashmir dispute and India’s recent actions in occupied Kashmir could lead to unimaginable consequences if the world does not work for the settlement of this lingering dispute. Consul General concluded with reaffirming Pakistan’s continued moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle for attaining their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions.