{
  "id": 952263,
  "title": "Pakistan-Kashmir bond rooted in shared history, culture: AJK president",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/pakistan-kashmir-bond-rooted-in-shared-history-culture-ajk-president",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-15T00:01:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2022848/pakistan-kashmir-bond-rooted-in-shared-history-culture-ajk-president"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Muzaffarabad: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Chaudhry Latif Akbar emphasized on Friday the long-standing ties between Kashmir and Pakistan, rooted in a common heritage, culture, faith, customs and ambitions. These connections found political expression through the Kashmiri leadership's resolution from July 19, 1947, seeking the princely state's accession to Pakistan. Addressing a flag-raising event to commemorate Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day, Akbar noted that Kashmiris had never acquiesced to the denial of their right to decide their own future and had continued their quest for self-determination in line with UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The ceremony, held at the High Court ground, drew the Prime Minister, ministers, officials, political and social leaders, students, lawyers, women, and thousands of citizens. A siren sounded, participants observed a minute of silence for the martyrs, and AJK police performed a salute. Girl Guides and Boy Scouts sang national songs, which were well-received by the audience. Akbar lamented that \"intrigues and manoeuvrings\" by the departing British colonial authorities and Indian leadership had obstructed the implementation of the decision, resulting in a \"grave human tragedy\" that still affects the region. He stressed that the unresolved dispute for nearly eight decades had turned South Asia into one of the world’s most dangerous nuclear flashpoints, underscoring the need for a peaceful resolution to ensure lasting regional peace and stability. Akbar praised Kashmiri leaders such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Burhan Wani as symbols of resistance and sacrifice, while mentioning that Shabbir Shah, Yasin Malik, and Aasiya Andrabi remained in Indian prisons. He highlighted that repression in occupied Kashmir extended beyond political leaders, affecting journalists, human rights defenders, students, academics, traders, and businesspeople through intimidation, arrests, restrictions, and other forms of coercion. \"The targeting of civil society and independent voices has further narrowed the space for dissent and expression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir,\" he stated. Akbar expressed gratitude to Pakistan for supporting the Kashmiri people and advocating their cause internationally, as well as repeatedly calling for the implementation of relevant UN resolutions. He acknowledged that the last year’s military confrontation with India demonstrated Pakistan’s strength, unity, and readiness, enhancing its standing regionally and internationally. He said Pakistan was now playing a growing role in fostering regional peace and stability and promoting dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution. Akbar reiterated that the people of AJK stood \"shoulder to shoulder\" with the people of Pakistan, their fates intertwined. He called on Pakistan to keep supporting the people of occupied Kashmir and play its part in securing an early and just resolution to the dispute. He prayed for Pakistan’s stability, prosperity, and security, as well as for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to achieve freedom and the right to determine their own future.",
  "summary": "MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Chaudhry Latif Akbar on Friday highlighted the “centuries-old” bonds between Kashmir and Pakistan, saying the relationship was rooted in shared history, culture, religion, traditions and aspirations and had found political expression in the Kashmiri leadership’s July 19, 1947, resolution seeking accession of the princely state to Pakistan.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}