ISLAMABAD, AUG 5 (DNA) – The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry observed Youm-e-Istehsal to express solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K). For this purpose, a ceremony was held at ICCI.

At this occasion, a rally was taken out led by Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari to express solidarity with Kashmiri people that ended at Chamber House and participated in the ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) strongly condemned the India’s annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) on Aug 5 last year by revoking the articles 370 and 35A of its constitution and termed it a totally illegal move to abolish the special status of Occupied Kashmir and rights and privileges of Kashmiri people.

Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said that the aggressive approach of current Indian leadership was the biggest stumbling block in achieving sustainable economic development in South Asia as the Indian move has put the peace and stability of the region at stake by depriving the people of IOJ&K of their right to self-determination.

He emphasized that the resolution of 73-year old Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC resolutions was the key to bring economic progress and prosperity to this region.

He said that without resolving the burning issue of IOJ&K, South Asia would not be able to unlock its actual economic potential for improving and uplifting the living standard of its people. He appreciated the government move to unveil a new political map of Pakistan, which showed Occupied Kashmir as part of Pakistan and said that business community fully supported this initiative.

He also lauded the efforts of armed forces of Pakistan for defending the country and said that business community would always stand with them for the defence of our beloved country.

He said that being immediate neighbours, Pakistan and India could achieve tremendous economic dividends by promoting bilateral trade and joint ventures in many areas, however, to realize this goal, India must give the right of self-determination to the people of IOJ&K and let them decide their future through impartial plebiscite under the auspices of UNSC.

Speaking at the occasion, Zafar Bakhtawari, Convener, ICCI Kashmir Cause Sub-Committee said that after the annexation of IOJ&K, India has unleashed massive human rights abuses as Kashmiris have been under lockdown since the last one year.

He said that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has already produced two reports pointing out serious human rights violations by India in IOJ&K and urged that international community should play its role for the right of self-determination of Kashmiri people.

He said that India had been in illegal occupation of IOJ&K since 1947 by continuously violating UNSC resolutions.

However, he said that despite brutal suppression of Kashmiris for over 73 years, India was unable to force them into submission, which showed that Kashmiris were determined to accept no solution except for their inalienable right to self-determination.

He said that the government, leadership, business community and the people of Pakistan were firmly committed to the fair and just solution of IOJ&K dispute in accordance with the relevant resolutions of UNSC and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Saif ur Rehman Vice President ICCI, Aslam Khokhar, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, Sardar Tahir, Ch. Nadeem ud Din, Ch. Masood, Khalid Chaudhry, Waqar Bakhtawari and others also spoke at the occasion and expressed full solidarity with Kashmiri people. They said that Kashmir was jugular vein of Pakistan and Pakistani nation would continue to support Kashmiri people till their freedom from Indian occupation.=DNA

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