Islamabad : On Jammu Martyrs’ Day, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid solemn tribute to the martyrs of Jammu, reaffirming Pakistan’s steadfast support for the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their ongoing struggle for the right to self-determination.
In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari urged the international community and the United Nations to recognize the 1947 Jammu massacre as an act of genocide and to hold India accountable for its violations of international law. He emphasized that India’s actions to alter the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir led to the genocide of Kashmiri Muslims.
President Zardari recalled the horrific events of November 6, 1947, when the forces of the Hindu Dogra Maharaja, backed by RSS extremists and armed groups from Patiala and Kapurthala, carried out a systematic massacre that claimed the lives of over 200,000 Muslims and forced more than 500,000 to flee their homes. The massacre transformed the Muslim-majority region of Jammu into a minority, marking one of the most brutal genocides in history.
He further stated that the Jammu massacre remains one of the darkest chapters in history, one that has largely been overlooked on the global stage. He urged the international community to not turn a blind eye to the atrocities faced by Kashmiri Muslims and other human rights violations in the region.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message, also paid tribute to the martyrs of November 6, 1947, who gave their lives for the cause of freedom. He strongly condemned India for its ongoing violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law, particularly its continued illegal occupation of Kashmir.
Prime Minister Sharif described November 6, 1947, as one of the darkest days in Kashmiri history—a day that still resonates with deep sorrow and anger in the hearts of the Kashmiri people. He added that every year, Kashmiris observe this day as a symbol of the cruelty and oppression perpetrated by Indian forces, marking India’s first organized genocide against the Kashmiri population.
