79th Foundation Day of Azad Kashmir: Dignified Ceremony Held in Muzaffarabad, Emphasis on National Unity and Right to Self-Determination

A dignified ceremony was held in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), to mark the 79th Foundation Day of Azad Kashmir. President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi, government officials and a large number of citizens attended the event.

The ceremony began with the hoisting of the flags of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, followed by national and patriotic songs. A smartly turned-out contingent presented a parade, which was inspected by the chief guest, the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Students also performed patriotic songs, earning appreciation from the audience. The president distributed honorary medals among government officials and prominent personalities from various walks of life.

Addressing the ceremony, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi said that the establishment of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on October 24, 1947, was the result of the immense sacrifices made by their forefathers and their unprecedented struggle for freedom.

He said Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein and that Pakistan and Kashmir were inseparable. He described the political, diplomatic and moral support extended to the Kashmiris by the Government of Pakistan and the Pakistani people as highly valuable.

Paying tribute to the resilience and sacrifices of the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the AJK president urged the international community and the United Nations to play their role in securing the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions, paving the way for lasting peace in the region.

He said national unity and strong institutions were the foundations of a prosperous state. He added that the relationship between Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir was not merely geographical but was rooted in Islamic, ideological and spiritual bonds. Just as Pakistan was incomplete without Kashmir, Kashmir was also incomplete without Pakistan, he said.

The AJK president also congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and the Pakistan Armed Forces on what he described as Pakistan’s military and diplomatic victory in Marka-e-Haq.

The ceremony reaffirmed the commitment to the struggle for freedom, the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people, national unity and a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.