Pakistan to observe Youm-i-Istehsal on Monday in show of solidarity with Kashmir

The federal government has announced that Pakistan will observe Youm-i-Istehsal (Exploitation Day) on Monday, to mark the fifth anniversary of India revoking Kashmir’s special autonomy and to show solidarity with Kashmiris, the state-owned PTV News reported on Sunday.

On August 5, 2019, India’s Narendra Modi-led government stripped the Muslim-majority territory of its special status by repealing Article 370 of the constitution, splitting the former state into two territories directly ruled by New Delhi.

Through the revocation of the said article, people from the rest of India gained the right to acquire property in Indian-held Kashmir and settle there permanently. Kashmiris, as well as critics of India’s Hindu nationalist-led government, saw the move as an attempt to dilute the demographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir with Hindu settlers.

In response to the controversial move, the Government of Pakistan designated 5 August as Youm-e-Istehsal, starting in 2020. This day is now observed annually in Pakistan as a reaction to the status change.

This year, discussions related to the commemoration of the day were held at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday. According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting was attended by federal ministers and senior government officials who briefed the PM about preparations.

“A joint main event of Pakistani and Kashmiri leadership has been approved for the day, with PM Shehbaz expected to visit Muzaffarabad on August 5 to show solidarity with Kashmiris”, a post from PTV News said on the X platform.

The post added that the premier will “give an important policy statement” on Youm-i-Istehsal, but did not provide details.

Other plans for Youm-i-Istehsal include a special walk to mark the day, as well as ceremonies across all provinces, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The PTV News post added that special broadcasts will be aired to commemorate the sacrifices of Kashmiris and highlight alleged human rights violations by India in the territory.

“Youm-i-Istehsal will highlight the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, violations of the fundamental rights of Kashmiris, and India’s breach of promises,” the PML-N said in a post on X.

Earlier this week, Pakistan called on the international community to pressure India to restore the special status of Indian-held Kashmir, end repression in the Valley, and foster conditions conducive to resolving the longstanding dispute threatening regional stability.

The call was made during a briefing for Islamabad-based foreign diplomats at the Foreign Office on Friday, where Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi detailed the conditions in the Indian-held disputed territory and discussed the repercussions of India’s actions of August 2019, from the standpoints of international law, human rights, and peace and security.