Pakistan marked its annual Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, 2026, with the nation’s top civilian and military leadership issuing strong condemnations of India’s policies in the disputed region and reaffirming unwavering support for the Kashmiri right to self-determination.
National Holiday and Solidarity Walks
The day, observed as a public holiday, featured solidarity walks across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The observance commemorates the Kashmiri uprising of 1989 and was initiated 36 years ago by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Presidential Condemnation of Post-2019 Measures
In a pointed message, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep concern over the situation following India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019. He accused India of intensifying control through administrative and legislative measures designed to alter the demographic composition of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
President Zardari specifically condemned the recent profiling of mosques and mosque management committees in the region, terming it “deliberate intimidation” aimed at restricting the religious freedom of the Muslim majority. He warned that military escalation initiated by India in May 2025 highlights the fragility of peace in South Asia, stating that lasting stability is impossible without a just resolution of the dispute.
Prime Minister’s Call to the International Community
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately condemned what he described as grave human rights violations in IIOJK. He labeled India’s 2019 actions a “blatant violation of international law” and urged the global community to play an effective role in ensuring the Kashmiri people’s inalienable right to self-determination through a UN-supervised plebiscite.
Armed Forces Reiterate Commitment
The country’s military leadership, including Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, issued a unified statement strongly condemning human rights abuses. The armed forces cited extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions.
The statement reiterated that a peaceful resolution, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and Kashmiri aspirations, is essential for regional stability. The military called for concrete international action to alleviate Kashmiri suffering and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Pakistan’s sovereignty while standing in solidarity with the Kashmiri quest for “freedom and dignity.”
The coordinated messages from Pakistan’s leadership underscore the continued centrality of the Kashmir issue to the nation’s foreign policy and its perception of regional security, framing it as an unresolved dispute requiring international intervention.
