Pakistan reiterated its call for the Indian government to cease its campaign of extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate use of lethal force against the Kashmiri people in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, at her press briefing, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to provide political, diplomatic, and moral support to our Kashmiri people for the just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. She told the media that the 93rd ‘Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir’ (Kashmir Martyrs Day) would be observed on July 13 to honor the martyrdom of 22 Kashmiris who sacrificed their lives in Srinagar in 1931, bravely facing the indiscriminate firing of Dogra forces under the former Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

 “We salute their courage, which ignited a determined movement for the rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people and their right to self-determination. This movement continues to this day.” She mentioned that akin to the Dogra forces, Indian forces have killed thousands of Kashmiris over recent decades simply for advocating their rights. “Burhan Muzaffar Wani, an iconic youth leader from Kashmir, was among the hundreds who fell victim to extrajudicial killings in IIOJK. His eighth martyrdom anniversary was observed on July 8th,” she remarked.

Commenting on Israeli aggression, she said Pakistan strongly condemned this week’s indiscriminate attacks by Israeli occupation forces on four schools in Gaza, which resulted in the massacre of dozens of women and children seeking shelter there. These attacks are further evidence of Israel’s genocidal campaign against the people of Gaza. The indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations and facilities is a grave violation of international law and constitutes war crimes.

With its latest actions, Israeli occupation forces have once again demonstrated their contempt for international law and the basic tenets of decency and acceptable international behaviour, she said. These flagrant violations of international humanitarian law must not be permitted to become the new norm. “We call on the international community to take urgent measures to bring an immediate end to Israel’s campaign of terror and the genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. The time has come to hold Israel accountable for its crimes and its flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.” She told the media that Pakistan and Azerbaijan will engage in wide-ranging discussions on areas of mutual interest to further strengthen their bilateral strategic cooperation during the two-day official visit of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)