Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership on Wednesday said lasting peace in South Asia remains tied to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, as the country observed Youm-i-Istehsal (Exploitation Day) to mark seven years since India revoked the special autonomy of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in August 2019. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and the three armed forces chiefs each issued separate messages reaffirming what they described as Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
Key Highlights
- Pakistan observes Youm-i-Istehsal, marking seven years since India revoked IIOJK’s special status
- President Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif and FM Ishaq Dar issue solidarity messages
- Armed forces chiefs reaffirm support for Kashmiri “right to self-determination”
- Foreign ministry officials hold solidarity walk on Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue
- Leadership calls on international community to act on relevant UNSC resolutions
President, PM Reaffirm Solidarity
President Asif Ali Zardari said Youm-i-Istehsal was being observed to “reaffirm our unwavering solidarity” with the people of IIOJK, paying tribute to what he called their “courage, resilience and commitment to their just struggle” for self-determination. He said India’s actions of August 5, 2019, could not change the dispute’s legal status or weaken Kashmiri resolve, adding that “millions of Kashmiris have continued to live under severe restrictions that have affected every aspect of daily life” over the past seven years. Zardari said Pakistan would keep raising the issue “at every international forum” until it is resolved in line with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message, said India’s measures had “deepened repression, undermined fundamental freedom, and accelerated attempts to alter the demographic composition” of the occupied territory. He described the Kashmir dispute as the “principal unresolved issue affecting peace and stability in South Asia,” and said lasting peace could only come through a settlement reflecting the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, not through “coercion or unilateral action.” The prime minister called on the international community to move past “expressions of concern” and take a more active role in resolving the dispute.
Dar Calls for International Action, Officials Hold Solidarity Walk
DPM Dar said India’s 2019 actions in IIOJK posed a “grave challenge” to the international framework and urged the global community to fulfill its “long-overdue responsibility” toward a peaceful resolution. He called on India to halt measures aimed at undermining the territory’s disputed status and to help create conditions for a peaceful settlement, adding that Pakistan would continue pressing the issue at international forums.
Separately, foreign ministry officials, led by the foreign secretary, took part in a solidarity walk along Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue. Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam addressed the gathering, reiterating Pakistan’s “steadfast political, diplomatic and moral support” for the Kashmiri cause, in line with UNSC and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation resolutions, according to a foreign ministry statement.
On Youm-e-Istehsal, Pakistan solemnly commemorates the seventh anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, which sought to alter the internationally recognised disputed status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).
We pay tribute to the… pic.twitter.com/gYe6PEFJnI
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 5, 2026
Armed Forces Voice Support
Chief of Defence Forces and Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Chief of Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu also issued a joint statement reaffirming their solidarity with the people of IIOJK. A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the armed forces “reiterate their steadfast support for the legitimate struggle of Kashmiri people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in international law and the relevant UNSC resolutions.”
The military leadership described the continued situation in the valley as a matter of “serious concern,” warning that “provocative rhetoric and belligerent posturing” only worsen regional instability. They reiterated that durable peace in South Asia remains “intrinsically linked” to a just settlement of the Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes of its people and relevant UNSC resolutions.
