Youm-e-Istehsal: Pakistan Observes Kashmir Solidarity Day, Demands End to Indian Occupation

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan observed Youm-e-Istehsal (Exploitation Day) on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of India's unilateral revocation of Kashmir's special autonomy in 2019, with nationwide rallies, seminars, and diplomatic events reaffirming solidarity with the Kashmiri people .

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Today marks Youm-e-Istehsal. The world will never forget how Indian forces violated human rights in Indian-occupied Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/4PGHmEmLRd

- Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) August 5, 2026

The day commemorates August 5, 2019, when India's Narendra Modi-led government stripped the Muslim-majority territory of its special constitutional status by repealing Article 370, splitting the former state into two federally controlled territories directly ruled by New Delhi .

Nationwide Solidarity Events

Major rallies were held across all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan . In Islamabad, a major solidarity rally led by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam was held on Constitution Avenue . Sirens were sounded at 9am, followed by a one-minute silence to express solidarity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

In Muzaffarabad, a rally under the banner "Chalo Azadi Ke Liye" (March for Freedom) drew women, children, youth, and political activists . Separate rallies were held in Sindh, led by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani and Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad . In Punjab, rallies and ceremonies were organized in Taxila, Attock, and other cities .

Political and Military Leadership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed India's occupation of Kashmir the "defining conflict" of South Asia, stating: "India's illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir remained the defining conflict of the South Asia region, and the driver of India's continued rogue behaviour" .

President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized that this year's Youm-e-Istehsal "assumes greater significance" following Pakistan's successful military operation against India in May 2025 .

Armed Forces' Message

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement on behalf of Field Marshal Asim Munir and the armed forces' leadership, reaffirming "unwavering solidarity with the resilient and courageous people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir" .

The statement stressed that "durable peace in South Asia remains unattainable without the just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute" .

United Nations Reaffirms Position

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Aziz Haq confirmed that UN Security Council resolutions pledging the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir have "not changed" .

"You'll have seen what was expressed, including by the High Commission for Human Rights, about our concerns that all basic rights are respected for the people of Kashmir," he told reporters in New York .

Diplomatic Missions

Pakistan's diplomatic missions worldwide observed Youm-e-Istehsal with seminars, commemorative ceremonies, and public outreach events in Beijing, Kabul, Tehran, London, and Ankara . The events reaffirmed Pakistan's continued political, diplomatic, and moral support for the Kashmiri people.

National Assembly Resolution

The National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution condemning "all forms of Indian state violence and coercive tactics aimed at erasing the identity, culture, and political aspirations of the Kashmiri people" .

The resolution stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is "not an internal matter of India but a global issue requiring a just resolution" .