KARACHI (special crosspondent) – Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), has announced a series of high-profile national gatherings to mark the seventh year of the military siege in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). The commemorations, held on August 5, 2026, took place simultaneously at the FPCCI Head Office in Karachi, the President’s Secretariat in Islamabad, and various other major cities across Pakistan. Similar to global efforts like the Pakistan Embassy in Ankara marking Youm-e-Istehsal to support Kashmiris, these events underscore the unified stance of the nation’s trade bodies.

Business Community Reaffirms Solidarity

Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh highlighted that the events convened prominent industrialists, exporters, chamber presidents, trade association leaders, civic representatives, and Hurriyat leadership. He reaffirmed that Pakistan’s entire business community stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their Kashmiri counterparts. “Sustainable economic prosperity and peace in South Asia remain inextricably linked to the just resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” Mr. Sheikh stated, adding that no amount of economic coercion or military oppression can suppress their legitimate right to self-determination.

Economic Impact and Moral Responsibility

Mr. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, Senior Vice President of FPCCI, underscored the economic devastation caused by the situation and the resulting moral responsibility of the trade sector. He noted that as representatives of Pakistan’s trade and industrial sectors, they have a profound duty to amplify the voices of oppressed Kashmiris across international economic and trade forums. Furthermore, Mr. Asif Sakhi, VP FPCCI, observed that the ongoing military siege has not only triggered a human rights crisis but has also systematically dismantled the indigenous economic fabric of IIOJK, necessitating a response from global commercial institutions.

Regional Unity and Civic Support

Mr. Tariq Jadoon, VP FPCCI, emphasized the importance of unity across all chambers of commerce, noting that the gatherings reflect the undivided solidarity of trade bodies across every province in Pakistan. Mr. Mansoor Sheikh, Chairman of the Town Municipal Corporation District South (TMC South), praised the FPCCI for its role in uniting civic and business leadership. He lauded the initiative as a commendable effort to bring diverse stakeholders onto a single platform to reject the illegal actions initiated on August 5, 2019.

Gratitude and Government Support

Sheikh Abdul Mateen, a senior representative of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), expressed deep gratitude to the FPCCI leadership for consistently keeping the Kashmir cause at the forefront of Pakistan’s civil and economic discourse. Concluding the session, Ms. Irum Tanveer, Director General of the Press Information Department (PID), reiterated the Government of Pakistan’s unwavering moral, political, legal, and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people in their relentless and legitimate struggle for the right of self-determination.