ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says both Pakistanis andKashmiris will have to fight the case for Kashmir together.
Addressing a joint news conference with President Azad Jammu and KashmirSardar Masood Khan in Muzaffarabad on Monday, he said this is the jointcause of whole Pakistani nation as well as Kashmiris.
He said consultation process will continue with various segments of societyto resolve the situation that arose out of Indian steps to change thestatus quo in Occupied Kashmir.
Foreign Minister said the committee set up by the Prime Minister has beentasked to provide information on what diplomatic, political and otheroptions we have.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said people of all shades and colors will be includedin the consultation on Kashmir and the doors of foreign office are open foranyone that could help highlight the Kashmir issue at international level.
He said the freedom struggle of Kashmiris has reached a crucial turningpoint.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan in his wider outreach efforts contactedworld leaders including Turkey, Iran, and Indonesia to apprise them ofunilateral step taken by India to change the status of Occupied Kashmir.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder withKashmiri brethren.
The Minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Muzaffarabad onWednesday on the occasion of Independence Day where he will address AJKlegislative assembly to express solidarity with Kashmiris.
The Minister said the national political leadership is united over theissue of Kashmir.
He said if India tries any misadventure, Pakistan reserves the right todefend itself.
He said India has imposed a complete clamp down on media freedom and accessto information in the held valley.
The Minister said the real agenda of India is to change the demographiccomposition of Occupied Kashmir.
He called upon media to exercise responsible reporting to show the worldthat there is no disagreement on Kashmir policy.
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Earlier, President Azad Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan said Pakistan took anumber of appreciable steps including suspension of bus and train servicesto India, downgrading of bilateral diplomatic links and passing a unanimousresolution in Parliamnent’s joint session against the unilateral step ofIndia to strip occupied Kashmir of its independent status.
He said India has sent more than one hundred and eighty thousand additionaltroops to invade Occupied Kashmir and imposed a total blackout in the area,so that news of its human rights violations does not reach to outside world.
Sardar Masood Khan said Indian security forces are now carrying outmassacre of Kashmiris. He said India wants to colonize Kashmir anddisplace the native population in order to change the demographiccomposition of the area.
Paying tribute to diplomatic efforts of Pakistani government, Sardar MasoodKhan said the endeavors have started yielding results and not only China,Turkey and other close friends have endorsed Pakistan’s position on Kashmirissue, but the European Union and other great corridors of power have alsoexpressed concern over the human rights violations in the held territory.
Earlier, addressing at Kashmiris refugees at Manak Payan camp inMuzaffarabad, the Foreign Minister said that India is involved in massivehuman rights violations in occupied Kashmir.
He said even on the Eid day, the Occupied Kashmir is under strict curfew byIndian forces and they are confined at their homes without telephone,internet and other communication facilities.
He said Kashmiris are rendering matchless sacrifices and their sacrificeswill never go in vain.
The Foreign Minister said that his visit to Muzaffarabad on the eve of Eidul Adha aims to express solidarity with the Kashmiris struggling for theirright to self-determination.
Referring to his recently completed visit to China, he said that he hadthorough consultation on the issue with Chinese leadership.
He said Pakistan has decided to take the issue of Kashmir again to the UNSecurity Council and China has assured to extend full support for thispurpose.
He said Pakistan Independence Day on Wednesday will be celebrated asKashmir Solidarity Day and Indian Independence Day will be observed asBlack Day on Thursday.
