Embassy of Pakistan in Cairo organized a Seminar on October 27 at Embassy premises to observe the Kashmir Black Day, says a press release received here today from Cairo. A large number of intellectuals, journalists, students, members of Pakistan-Egypt Friendship Association and Pakistani community notables attended the event. Press Attaché of the Mission conducted the event. The ceremony started with Recitation from the Holy Quran. Press Attaché, Embassy of Pakistan, read out Messages of The President and Prime Minister of Pakistan on the occasion. Three short documentaries were screened on the occasion. The documentaries focused on the recent developments in IOJ&K. Speakers at the seminar included Scholars, Academicians and Journalists. On this occasion, students of PISC presented a tableau, portraying how the people of IOJ& Kashmir were facing miseries in the largest prison on earth. A student of Al-Azhar University, Mr. Adil Mahmoud, read out a poem on Kashmir with Urdu translation to the audience. Ambassador Fathi Yousuf, President of the Egyptian-Pakistani Friendship Association stressed that the escalation of tension in the region as a result of India’s decision to abolish Kashmir's special autonomous status posed a threat to regional peace and security.
He called on India to listen to the voice of wisdom and called on the Muslim countries to extend all support to the people of Kashmir in the face of Indian repression. Prominent Journalist and Deputy Chief Editor of Al-Gamhouria Mr. Sayed El-Hany stressed that the struggle of the people of Kashmir for their right, recognized by several resolutions of the Security Council, was a legitimate struggle and not terrorism and that India was the one who ignored relevant UNSC resolutions stipulating Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and also the OIC resolutions calling for sending a fact-finding mission to Indian-held Kashmir. Strategic analyst Maj. Gen. Gamal Mazloum talked about the scenarios of future events in the light of the fresh Indian escalation and warned against military confrontation between the two nuclear countries; stressing the need for dialogue to settle the Kashmir issue. Prof. Medhat Hammad, Director of the Farabi Center for Studies expressed belief that resistance was the option left for the people of Kashmir as India continued to ignore the resolutions of international legitimacy and forcibly suppress the Kashmiri people.
Prof Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim of Al-Azhar University decried India’s insistence to deprive the people of Kashmir of their right to freedom and self-determination as guaranteed by the Charter of the United Nations to all peoples. He stressed the importance of the role of the media in publicizing the just cause of the Kashmir people in light of the Indian media's control of several media channels. South Asia expert Samir Hussain said India's recent escalation in Kashmir was part of the economic struggle among world powers over promising economic development axes in light of the Pakistan-China partnership in the economic corridor which was an important part of the Silk Road revival Project. He stressed that the jihad of the Kashmiri people complied with the relevant UN resolutions which affirmed their inalienable right to self-determination and which India continued to dodge. The Ambassador of Pakistan H.E. Mushtaq Ali Shah, highlighting the historical background of the struggle, said that the unconstitutional and illegal changes in the status of the Occupied Jammu & Kashmir by the Indian government would herald the decisive phase of struggle of the Kashmiri people. However, its full impact would be visible only after lifting of the curfew clamped-down by India for more than 80 days. He added that neither would the people capitulate to repression nor would Pakistan abandon the cause of their Kashmiri brethren. On this occasion, the Embassy managed a photo exhibition, displaying material including booklets, brochures and roll ups highlighting brutalities carried out by the Indian Occupied forces in IOJ&K against the innocent people of Kashmir.
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