State Minister appreciates students art work, highlighting issues of IIOJ&K

ISLAMABAD, Aug 04 (APP):Minister of state for federal education and professional training, Wajiha Qamar on Tuesday appreciated the artwork of students highlighted issues in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), underscoring that voices may be suppressed but the language of art continues to leave a lasting impact.

She made these remarks, while addressing the event as chief guest, organized by the Youth Forum for Kashmir, in collaboration with the Institute of Home Economics and Design.

The event organized a painting competition titled “Conflict Through Art” to commemorate Kashmir Exploitation Day. The event brought together nearly 200 young student artists from across Pakistan, who expressed their perspectives on the Kashmir issue through creative and thought-provoking artworks. Their paintings depicted the humanitarian challenges faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including alleged human rights violations and the impact of the revocation of the region’s special constitutional status.

Among the other distinguished participants were Mr. Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman of the Kashmir Institute of International Relations; Mr. Zaman Bajwa, Executive Director of the Youth Forum for Kashmir; Ms. Rozina Faheem, Principal of the Institute of Home Economics and Design; and Mr. Azam Gulra, Adviser to the Minister for Youth Affairs.

Addressing the audience, Ms. Wajiha Qamar commended the young artists for portraying the story of Jammu & Kashmir with remarkable creativity and sensitivity, noting that their work reflected resilience, hope, and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

She also paid tribute to the late Syed Ali Gilani, describing his life as a source of inspiration and recalling his well-known statement, “We are Pakistanis, and Pakistan is ours.”

She further stated that India is employing fifth-generation warfare and disinformation campaigns to mislead young people and distort facts.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Altaf Hussain Wani stated that Pakistan has consistently supported the Kashmir cause. He said that the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status constituted a violation of international law and urged the younger generation to deepen their understanding of the Kashmir dispute through research and informed study.

Zaman Bajwa, Executive Director of the Youth Forum for Kashmir, outlined the objectives of the painting competition and emphasized the role of art and culture as powerful mediums for raising awareness about the Kashmir issue. He expressed confidence that the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people would ultimately be recognized and acknowledged.

During the event, Ms. Wajiha Qamar inaugurated the exhibition showcasing the participants’ artwork. The ceremony concluded with the distribution of prizes among the winning artists in recognition of their outstanding creativity and meaningful artistic contributions.