Embassy of Pakistan
Cairo
Press Release
A Seminar titled “Kashmir Under Siege” was organized at the Embassy of Pakistan in Egypt, today, to highlight the plight of Kashmiris in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), facing continued military siege since India’s unilateral and illegal actions to change the autonomous status of the region on 5 August 2019. The panel of speakers included notable Egyptians representing media, civil society and academia.
The Panelists in their presentations inter-alia : (i) condemned Indian Occupation Forces’ unabated extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters that have resulted in 609 martyrdoms since 2019; (ii) rejected the malafide conviction and sentencing of Kashmiri political and human right activist Yasin Malik on 25 May 2022; (iii) expressed serious concerns at Indian government’s anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim policies and actions; and, (iv) urged the international community to call out India for its human rights violations of Kashmiris, and play a role in facilitating a just and peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolution and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
One of the Panelist recited his poem on “Iqbal and Kashmir” in Arabic language, eulogizing Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, a Kashmiri by descent and famously known as the Poet of the East; and extoled the Kashmiris reciting “O Freemen of Kashmir, I salute you…I salute you”.
Ambassador Sajid Bilal in his remarks underscored the disputed status of IIOJK and stressed that human Rights violations in IIOJK has resulted in grave humanitarian situation, which requires urgent attention of the world community. The Ambassador reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for Kashmiris’ right of self-determination till Kashmir is liberated from the clutches of illegal Indian occupation.
A large number of intellectuals, journalists, students and Pakistani and Kashmiri community members attended the event.
Cairo
4 August 2022
