The Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C., commemorated ‘Kashmir Black Day’ to express complete solidarity with the Kashmiri people against India’s illegal occupation and persistent violations of human rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The solemn event served to reaffirm Pakistan’s steadfast moral, political, and diplomatic support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people seeking to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. Members of the Kashmiri diaspora, civil society representatives, students, media professionals, and people from various walks of life attended the event.
The program commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the reading of special messages from the President, Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan. The leadership reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to robustly advocate for the Kashmir issue across global platforms until a free and impartial plebiscite—as mandated by United Nations Security Council resolutions—is realized.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, highlighted the historical and legal foundations of the Kashmiri self-determination movement, framing it as an essential pillar of Pakistan’s national identity and dignity.
"It is our job. It is our cause. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, and the day after, not to quit. We cannot quit. You cannot quit your genesis," Ambassador Sheikh emphasized.
Focusing on the international dimension of the dispute, Ambassador Sheikh noted that since August 2019, the conflict had evolved into a strictly legal battle that must be firmly anchored in international law and UN resolutions. "The law is on our side, the history is on our side, the geography is on our side, the religiosity is on our side, the sociology is on our side, and Kashmiris on both sides of the line of control are on our side. We are in it to win it, and that is what we intend to do," he stated.
Characterizing Jammu and Kashmir as an unfinished agenda of the partition of the sub-continent, the Ambassador referred to UN Resolution 122, emphasizing that unilateral measures could not and should not replace the internationally agreed prescribed solution. He called for a coordinated strategy with regard to pronouncements emanating from Kashmiris and Pakistanis across major global capitals, including Washington, New York, Brussels, and Jeddah, with a view to maintaining legal accuracy.
The event featured prominent speakers, including Ali Raza Anar, President of the Foundation for American Security and Technology; Zulfiqar Ali Kazmi, Executive Director of The Common Grounds USA and President of Discover Pakistan TV; and Muwahid Hussain Shah, Attorney-at-law, Author, and Policy analyst. The speakers highlighted the continuing humanitarian and political crisis in IIOJK and called for sustained international attention to the plight and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
A documentary depicting the struggles and resilience of the Kashmiri people was screened during the event.
Concluding the event, Ambassador Sheikh thanked the participants for their solidarity with the people of IIOJK and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to supporting their just cause.
*-*-*-*-*
