Pakistan stands with resilient peoples of Palestine, Kashmir: Army Chief

Foreign office condemns banning of another Kashmiri political party,

Rawalpindi: Chief of Army Staff  General Syed Asim Munir while felicitating the nation at the beginning of the New Year expressed the Pakistan’s support to the resilient peoples of Palestine and illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The army chief, in his special message on New Year’s Eve, said, “In line with the directive of the honourable PM of Pakistan, we stand with and pray for the resilient people of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir [IIOJK] and hope that the New Year will bring relief in their sufferings from tyrannical regimes,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) quoted him as saying.

He said: “A challenging yet momentous year of 2023 is over. The Pakistan Armed Forces wish a happy New Year to the proud and honourable people of Pakistan.”

The year 2024, he also said, is of immense significance for Pakistan both internally and externally.

General Munir further said the Armed Forces reinforce the patriotic spirit of serving the motherland, a land of immeasurable “bounties and countless opportunities”.

“Undoubtedly, our great nation will rise, in line with the dreams of our forefathers and aspirations of the people of Pakistan. Surely a bright future for the coming generations awaits us, Insha Allah.

While,

Pakistan on Monday condemned the Indian authorities’ decision to declare the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir (TeH) as an unlawful association for a period of five years, terming it a “subjugation of Kashmiris’. “Banning of political parties is part of India’s relentless campaign to subjugate the Kashmiri people, suppress dissent, and consolidate its occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The FO said these actions blatantly violate democratic norms and international human rights and humanitarian law. “India must remove the ban on all the political parties illegally outlawed in IIOJK and respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people,” it said. The FO asked India to release all the political prisoners and dissenters, and faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.

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The TeH is the second Kashmiri party banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in less than a week’s time. With its banning, the total number of outlawed Kashmiri political parties increases to six. The party was founded by iconic Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who passed away in 2021 during a protracted house arrest. His dead body was ruthlessly snatched by the occupation authorities, and his near and dear ones were not allowed to attend his funeral.