ANKARA (special crosspondent) – The Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara today commemorated Youm-e-Istehsal to mark the fifth anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The event was attended by Turkish dignitaries, parliamentarians, academics, think-tank analysts, members of the diplomatic corps, media, and members of the Pakistani and Turkish communities, as noted in previous diplomatic commemorative events.

Commemorative Ceremony and Official Messages

The ceremony commenced with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by the reading of the messages of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, and the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Both leaders reiterated Pakistan’s moral, political, and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination, emphasizing that the illegal measures taken by New Delhi violate international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Expert Perspectives on Regional Security

Addressing the gathering, Maj. Gen (R) Güray Alpar, Chairman of the Geopolitical Foresight Institute, highlighted the critical geopolitical significance of Jammu and Kashmir and recalled the deep historical ties connecting the peoples of Türkiye and Pakistan. He warned against India’s unilateral actions, including attempts to alter constitutional frameworks and weaponize shared water resources, which pose a severe risk to regional stability.

OIC Stance and Parliamentary Solidarity

Director General of SESRIC and former Turkish Minister, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, reaffirmed the principled stance of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. She emphasized that a durable settlement can only be achieved through the exercise of the right to self-determination by the Kashmiri people in accordance with UNSC resolutions, drawing parallels between the prolonged occupations in Kashmir and Palestine.

Member of parliament and Deputy Chairman of the Saadet Party, Mr. Mustafa Kaya, condemned India’s actions in IIOJK, characterizing them as “demographic terrorism.” He stated that attempts to alter the demographic composition of the territory, strip Kashmiris of land ownership rights, and mirror occupation models seen in the West Bank will never suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Ambassador’s Concluding Remarks

In his concluding address, the Ambassador of Pakistan to Türkiye, H.E. Dr. Yousaf Junaid, expressed profound gratitude to the government and people of Türkiye for their unwavering support. He briefed the audience on India’s ongoing campaign of demographic engineering, including the issuance of nearly four million illegal domicile certificates to non-residents, strict media blockades, and systemic repression. The Ambassador asserted that arbitrary legislative acts cannot change the recognized disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, adding that lasting peace in South Asia remains contingent upon granting Kashmiris their right to self-determination through a UN-supervised plebiscite, a topic frequently discussed in regional security and diplomatic forums.