July 19 marks the 77th 'Youm-e-Ilhaq-e Pakistan' for Kashmir, commemorating the resolution passed on July 19, 1947, by 59 Kashmiri leaders at an emergency meeting of the All Jammu and Kashmir Conference.
The resolution, presented by Khawaja Ghulam-ud-Din Wani and Abdul Rahim Wani, called for Kashmir's accession to Pakistan based on religious, cultural, and geographical grounds. This event led to the Poonch rebellion and the subsequent liberation of Azad Kashmir.
For 77 years, Kashmiris have struggled against Indian control. Human rights organizations and international media have repeatedly raised concerns about the situation in Kashmir. Over 500,000 Kashmiris have reportedly died in the freedom movement.
India has deployed over 1 million military and paramilitary forces in the region, leading to its description as the largest military cantonment and open-air prison.
Pakistan maintains that the Kashmir issue should be resolved according to UN resolutions, which grant Kashmiris the right to self-determination.
