Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated his condemnation of Indian "repression" in Indian-administered Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Addressing a Kashmir conference held on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, Sharif called on India to stop “bloodbath” in the Muslim-majority valley.
“Pakistan calls upon the international community to raise its voice in seeking an end to the gross violations of human rights and the reign of terror unleashed by Indian occupation forces” in Kashmir, Sharif stated.
He also demanded that New Delhi allow holding of a free and fair plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations.
The prime minister said "for the last seven decades India has denied the people of Kashmir the right to self-determination promised to them by the international community through numerous UN Security Council resolutions."
Elsewhere in his remarks, Premier Sharif said 22-year-old Burhan Wani, whose killing by Indian forces in July sparked months of violent demonstrations, was a "martyr." More than 90 people have been killed ever since in violent clashes with Indian forces, who use live ammunition and pellet guns to disperse the crowds.
Meanwhile, Indian intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the developments in the disputed valley as neighboring Pakistan marks Kashmir Solidarity Day. New Delhi has put its security forces on high alert across several parts of Kashmir in order to prevent any attack by pro-independence groups operating in the region.
Kashmir Solidarity Day is observed in Pakistan on February 5 as a way of showing support for those living in Indian-administered Kashmir.
According to Pakistan's Dawn news service, the call to observe this day was first given by then emir of Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed on February 5, 1990, and it was endorsed by then prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, and then chief minister of Punjab, Nawaz Sharif.
On Sunday, Pakistanis held various rallies, seminars, demonstrations and other events, including public speeches and essay competitions in educational institutions, to express their unwavering support for the people in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The main event, according to Dawn, was the formation of symbolic human chains at five or six points linking Kashmir with Pakistan. The move aimed to send a clear message to the international community in general and India in particular that Pakistanis and Kashmiris are like “one soul in two hearts,” Dawn said.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, with both claiming sovereignty over the entire region.
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