Former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has said that a new national resolve and solidarity is needed for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, India is trying to erase the identity and political rights of Kashmiris but will fail. On Wednesday, he highlighted the historical injustices inflicted upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir and stressed the need for a new national resolve and unity for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

Sardar Masood Khan, reflecting on the events of 1947, mentioned the forced decisions during the partition of India, the massacre of Muslims in Jammu, and the forced migration of millions, which wreaked havoc in the region. He noted that during the Jammu massacre, the RSS, Dogra forces, INA, and armed Sikh groups martyred 250,000 Muslims. Before India’s formal military aggression in the valley on October 27, 1947, military units from the Hindu states of Kapurthala and Patiala were sent, who, along with Hindu extremist organizations, massacred Muslims in Jammu.

He also spoke about the current situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, noting that the series of Indian oppression continues. Since 2019, efforts have been made to erase the identity and political rights of Kashmiris through arrests, demographic changes, and administrative measures. He praised the resilience of the Kashmiri people in the valley and abroad, who continue to demonstrate political consciousness, cultural awareness, and bravery. Sardar Masood Khan highlighted education and social awareness as key components of the freedom movement, urging universities, colleges, civil society, and media institutions to promote scholarly and research work on Kashmir so that Pakistan’s stance remains fact-based and free from misinformation.

Finally, Sardar Masood Khan reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continuing its moral and political support for the Kashmiri people. He stressed that the establishment of Azad Kashmir in 1947 serves the purpose of establishing a free government, a mission that continues to this day. He said that it is our duty to keep the flame of justice alight through knowledge, diplomacy, and the organized voice of the youth, as Kashmir’s destiny is linked to Pakistan’s national cause, and we will not back down from it.