ISLAMABAD, AUG 05 (DNA) – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday said the nation had wholeheartedly and completely rejected India’s August 5 measure of revoking special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Speaking in the Senate during the special session on Kashmir on the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal, he said India had lost the battle to win hearts and minds of Kashmiris and it caused damage of billions of rupees to the economy in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

He appreciated the opposition parties for rising above partisan interests on the issue of Kashmir. He said the criticism of opposition was well received as it also wanted success of the Kashmir freedom movement.

The minister said missions of Pakistan abroad arranged about 200 activities including seminars and interactions with local and international media to highlight the Kashmir issue.

He said India made an ill advised move on August 5, 2019 by revoking the special status of Kashmir given through constitutional provisions.

He pointed out that the international media widely criticized the Indian decision to strip Kashmir of its special status. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan himself went to Muzaffarabad to give a strong message of support to Kashmiris. The leadership in Azad Kashmir also stood united on the Kashmir issue, he added.

The opposition in India criticized the Modi government for creating Hindu majoritarian rule in India, he noted. He said Indian Prime Minister was laying foundation of Ram Mandir after demolition of Ayodhya mosque in India and the ulema in Pakistan from all schools of thought should condemn this step of Modi.

Qureshi said the government’s approval of political map of Pakistan made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek were part of Pakistan.

He vociferously stated that Kashmir will become free one day and the military and civil leadership, people and Parliament of Pakistan will continue to extend all kind of moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris struggling for their inalienable right to self determination.

Leader of the House in Senate Shahzad Waseem in his speech highlighted different aspects of decades long freedom struggle of Kashmiris.

He said Kashmiris bravely stood up against India’s move to end special status of Kashmir and braved military siege and stopping of essential supplies of food and medicines to them in IIOJK.

He said the government and people of Pakistan by observing Youm-e-Istehsal sent a strong unified message that their support for Kashmiris was firm and resolute. =DNA

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