PROVINCE REPORT
OTTAWA: The High Commission for Pakistan in Ottawa, along with the Consulates General of Pakistan in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, observed Youm-e-Istehsal to mark the seventh anniversary of India’s actions of 5 August 2019, when it revoked Articles 370 and 35-A and altered the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ceremony featured special messages from the President, Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan. A documentary and a photographic exhibition highlighted the humanitarian and human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The event was attended by members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora, academics, community representatives, and friends of Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Muhammad Saleem said that seven years after India’s 5 August 2019 actions, the promised peace, stability, and development had not materialized. He expressed concern over continued restrictions on fundamental freedoms, prolonged detentions, demographic changes, and reported human rights violations in IIOJK. Reaffirming Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people, he stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains internationally recognized and should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
