TEHRAN -- A ceremony was held at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Tehran yesterday to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. It was presided over by Ambassador Shafkat Saeed.

The Kashmir Solidarity Day messages of Pakistan’s president and prime minister were read out after a recitation of the Holy Quran.
In his speech at the Tehran event, Ambassador Saeed paid tribute to the valiant people of Kashmir who have rendered tremendous sacrifices in the struggle for attaining their inalienable right of self-determination. He said that Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, in line with President Musharraf’s four-point formula. He also referred to the confidence-building measures taken by Pakistan and the ongoing Composite Dialogue between Pakistan and India. Ambassador Saeed went on to say that a resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people is imperative for the establishment of lasting peace and security in the region, especially since India and Pakistan both possess nuclear weapons.
The ambassador of Pakistan pointed out that Kashmir Solidarity Day has coincided with the 29th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, a country which supports Muslim causes throughout the world and oppressed people fighting for their right of self-determination. He also referred to the historical, cultural, and religious affinities shared by Iran and Kashmir.
In his speech, renowned Iranian scholar Dr. Abdul Rafi Haqiqat highlighted the need for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict and said that from the inception of Pakistan, the Iranian people have been supporting Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. Another Iranian scholar, Dr. Mohammad Baghai Makan, also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Iranian poet Dr. Mohammad Hossain Tasbihi recited a poem highlighting the plight of the Kashmiri people and their just struggle to obtain the right of self-determination.
A documentary on the history of the Kashmir issue and the suffering of the Kashmiri people was also shown. Posters, pamphlets, and leaflets depicting the atrocities committed by the Indian forces against the innocent people of Kashmir were also displayed and distributed among the participants of the function.
The function was attended by a cross section of Iranian scholars, academicians, intellectuals, media representatives, members of the Pakistani community, and students of Tehran University