Syed Haider Shah, the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, on Wednesday said that Islamabad will continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir.
Addressing the staff members on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day, Shah said, "We are sad to hear about the plight of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We stand by them. Human rights are being violated and Pakistan will continue to fight for the rights of Jammu and Kashmir."
The cash-strapped nation is observing August 14 as 'Kashmir Solidarity Day', in a protest against India's decision to abrogate Article 370 that accorded Jammu and Kashmir with special status, and passing a bill, which bifurcated the region into two Union Territories.
Rattled by New Delhi's historic move, Islamabad had also condemned it as an "illegal aggression" and called on the international community, including the United Nations, the United States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to interfere in the matter. However, reiterating its stand over the Kashmir issue, India has consistently refuted any third party interference calling it to be its "internal matter" and resolve all difference "bilaterally".
Since then, Islamabad also undertook a series of decisions, including downgrading bilateral relations with India and suspending bilateral trade, halting Samjhauta and Thar Express trains from its side and banning Indian movies in Pakistani cinemas.
In addition, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returned to New Delhi last week, days after Islamabad asked New Delhi to call him back following the change in the status of the region.
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India was also informed that Pakistan would not be sending its High Commissioner-designate to India Moin-ul-Haq anytime soon. He was expected to officially take charge on August 16.
Speaking on the pretext of the recent developments in the region, Shah today, said, "Though freedom is a big gift, we are sad over the prevailing conditions in Jammu and Kashmir."
"The regional peace is in danger. I assure the Kashmiris that we are standing by them," he stressed.
Pakistan is celebrating 73rd Independence Day.
On the occasion #BalochistanSolidarityDay and #14AugustBlackDay started trending on Twitter with more than 100,000 tweets and 54,000 tweets respectively.
Balochistan, the most volatile province in the southwestern borders of Pakistan has been struggling since 1948 against Pakistani occupation. The Baloch people say that they got independence from the British on August 11, 1947.
The province, rich in natural gas fields, has also accused China of plundering their economic wealth especially after the construction of modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects, and special economic zones under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
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