Islamabad, Feb 05 (PTI): Pakistan today said the dream of peace and prosperity in the region would remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir issue and reaffirmed its support for the people in the Valley in their struggle for the right to “self-determination”.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi made these remarks in their separate messages on “Kashmir Solidarity Day” observed across Pakistan today.
The President said, “Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination right in accordance with UN resolutions.”
Prime Minister Abbasi in the official message also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
He said even after the passage of more than seven decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to be “deprived of the fundamental right to self-determination in stark contradiction to the promise made to them by the international community through the United Nations Security Council Resolutions”.
The Prime Minister said India refused to allow the visit of the team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to Kashmir, thus denying the international community an opportunity to evaluate the situation on the ground.
“India obviously has much to hide,” he claimed.
The two leaders said that the dream of peace and prosperity in the region will remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir dispute.
Pakistan called upon the international community to urge India to “respect the Human Rights Charter, put an immediate end to the gross human rights violations of Kashmiris…and ensure expedited resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.”
Pakistan had declared official holiday today and the government as well as various groups announced to organise rallies and seminars to highlight the issue of Kashmir.
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal in a tweet said that “Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan.”
India may target CPEC installations: Pak Interior Ministry
Islamabad, Feb 05: India plans to attack installations along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to sabotage the multi-billion dollar mega project, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has claimed.
The Ministry, in a letter to Gilgit-Baltistan’s Home department warned of possible “terrorist attacks on the CPEC route”, including bridges at Karakoram Highway and other important points. It issued directives for making foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident, ‘Dawn’ online reported on Monday.
An official of the Home department said that the letter claimed that “India had sent 400 Muslim youngsters to Afghanistan for receiving training to be able to carry out attacks.”
The Gilgit-Baltistan government said it enhanced security on the CPEC route, including two dozen bridges built on Karakoram Highway from Khunjerab Pass to Diamer district.
Police officials said the movements of foreigners in Gilgit-Baltistan would be monitored and their documents would be verified.
The letter said that police personnel deputed for the security of bridges at Karakoram Highway needed to be put on high alert. It said that local police officers should conduct combing operations, supervise checking at vulnerable points, hotels and guest houses.
The project, a key artery of Beijing’s mega Belt and Road Initiative, has caused much friction between India and China over the past few years.
The CPEC links China’s Kashgar in Xinjiang province with Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan through a network of roads, railways and highways.
India strongly objects to the route of the corridor, which goes through Pakistan-administered-Kashmir.
(Agencies)
