NNA - The Embassy of Pakistan in Beirut organized a Zoom webinar to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, bringing together prominent figures from civil society, think tanks, academia, and leading journalists from print and electronic media in both Lebanon and Pakistan.

Addressing the webinar, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Salman Athar, said the day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for the inalienable right to self-determination. He highlighted what he described as ongoing human rights violations and hardships faced by civilians in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), stressing that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized dispute. The ambassador underscored the need for the implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, in letter and spirit, as the only path toward a peaceful resolution.

Other speakers said India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019 constituted a violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions, and noted subsequent measures aimed at consolidating these steps, including efforts to alter the demographic and political landscape of IIOJK. Participants also voiced concern over the absence of progress toward a just and lasting settlement of the dispute.

Later in the evening, Ambassador Athar hosted Lebanese media representatives, civil society members, academics, and think-tank participants at Pakistan House in Beirut. Attendees were briefed on the historical background of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and the significance of Kashmir Solidarity Day. The program also featured documentaries and a pictorial exhibition highlighting the situation of the Kashmiri people in IIOJK.