ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the ‘worst persecution’ of Muslim minority in India at the hands of ruling majority and declared unwavering solidarity with Kashmiris until they secure freedom under the UN resolutions.
He was addressing the central ceremony marking the 78th Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan from Dogra rule on Saturday at the Army Helipad in Gilgit on Saturday.The president said the freedom of Gilgit-Baltistan reminded them of the unfinished journey of our brothers and sisters in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “While you enjoy liberty and rights under the flag of Pakistan, they continue to face occupation and repression,” he said. “We stand with them till they achieve freedom in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and their aspirations.”
President Zardari condemned the “worst persecution” of India’s Muslim minority by the ruling majority, declaring: “We stand firmly with Kashmiris until they achieve freedom per UN resolutions and their aspirations.” He praised Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal for Pakistan’s separate homeland.
Hailing the 1947 freedom fighters, he said GB won independence through self-struggle and voluntarily joined Pakistan, with 1,700 martyrs and 30,000 wounded. “For over seven decades, GB has guarded Pakistan’s borders and raised its flag on the highest peaks,” he noted, calling first November a national pride day. Describing GB as Pakistan’s “crown” and China gateway, he lauded the Karakoram Highway and CPEC for prosperity, urging hydropower and a local airline for tourism.
Zardari paid tribute to armed forces martyrs, praised COAS General Syed Asim Munir for Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos, and highlighted PPP’s reforms. Arriving at the Gilgit Airport, he was received by Governor Syed Mehdi Shah and CM Haji Gulbar Khan. At the Army Helipad Ground’s 78th Independence Day ceremony, he reviewed a colourful parade and cultural floats from all divisions amid applause. In his remarks, Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan thanked President Zardari for attending the Independence Day celebrations and paid homage to the martyrs of the 1947 liberation movement. He said the PPP government in 2009 had given Gilgit-Baltistan its modern identity, integrated the region into Pakistan’s constitutional framework without compromising the Kashmir issue. The chief minister said they had liberated the region from Dogra rule in 1947 and paid tributes to the shuhada. He said the residents of Gilgit Baltistan had been making valuable contributions for the country in different spheres of life.
In another development, the president addressed a meeting of the PPP Gilgit-Baltistan chapter at the Governor House, Gilgit. He said that the PPP’s historic ties with the region were rooted in service, sacrifice and the vision of equitable development. “The region may be new to others, but not for us.” He assured the party workers that their concerns and complaints would be addressed, announcing that the PPP GB president would form a delegation to meet him soon. “I will personally look into your issues and ensure that solutions are found,” he told the participants. Earlier, Amjad Hussain Advocate briefed the president on the party’s organisational affairs and political activities in the region. The presidents of all the three divisions of GB also submitted written requests highlighting the challenges and key issues facing their respective areas.
