ISLAMABAD, Feb 04 (APP): Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam on Wednesday said Pakistan would observe Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 with coordinated activities across the country, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan to reaffirm support for the Kashmiri people and highlight human rights violations in the region.
Addressing a press conference, along with All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders, the minister paid tribute to Kashmiris who had endured imprisonment, destruction of homes and the loss of family members, yet remained steadfast in their struggle.
He said Pakistan stood with those fighting and those who have laid down their lives, adding that Kashmiris were not alone.
Outlining arrangements for the day, Muqam said a one-minute silence would be observed at 10am nationwide, including in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He added that the traditional human chain would be formed at Kohala Bridge to symbolise unity between Pakistanis and Kashmiris.
He said letters had been sent to the chief ministers of all four provinces, requesting them to personally lead Kashmir Solidarity Day events to project a unified national stance, irrespective of political differences.
In the federal capital, a major walk is planned from the Foreign Office to D-Chowk, with participation expected from federal ministers, parliamentarians and members of civil society.
The minister also highlighted international outreach efforts, saying the Kashmir issue was being raised abroad through seminars, walks and photo exhibitions organised by Pakistani missions.
He referred to his recent visit to South Africa, where seminars in Johannesburg and Pretoria focused on the human rights situation in Kashmir.
At the domestic level, he said the Ministry of Education was coordinating essay-writing and speech competitions in schools to familiarise the younger generation with the history of the Kashmir dispute.
Muqam underscored the role of the media in shaping public opinion, praising its reach and urging it to highlight what he described as the contrast between the Kashmiri struggle and the use of force, including pellet guns and detentions.
He said all political parties, both in government and opposition, would stand together on February 5.
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was likely to travel to Muzaffarabad to address the AJK Legislative Assembly and reaffirm Pakistan’s moral and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people.
Concluding his remarks, the minister said Pakistan would continue to raise the Kashmir issue until it was resolved in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, adding that “the pain of Kashmiris is Pakistan’s pain”.