Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 to reaffirm support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to draw attention to the unresolved status of the Kashmir dispute. The day is marked through public events, official statements, and parliamentary actions, including resolutions adopted by the legislatures.
For this February 5, FAFEN has traced the parliamentary origins linked to the observance of the day as Kashmir Solidarity Day.
What is the earliest parliamentary reference to Kashmir Solidarity Day?
Although Kashmir Solidarity Day formally began to be observed much later, parliamentary proceedings linking February 5 with the Kashmir issue date back to 1990. In the aftermath of the imposition of Governor’s Rule in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in January 1990, Pakistan’s 8th National Assembly (1988-1990) held a three-day debate on the human rights situation in Kashmir beginning on February 5, 1990.
The discussion began with the commencement of eighth session and continued during next two sittings held on February 7, and 17, 1990. It was the government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto back then. The House condemned the occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and expressed solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
When did the Kashmir Committee came into being?
Since 1993, Parliament has periodically constituted special parliamentary committees to deal with the Kashmir issue. The first Parliamentary Kashmir Committee functioned from 1993 to 1996 under the chairmanship of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. A second committee operated from 1997 to 1999, chaired by Ch. Mohammad Sarwar Khan.
During periods when Parliament remained inactive, a National Kashmir Committee headed by Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum functioned until 2002.
A third Parliamentary Kashmir Committee was constituted in June 2004 under the chairmanship of Ch. Hamid Nasir Chattha and remained active until 2007. In August 2008, the National Assembly established a Special Committee on Kashmir, which elected Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman as chairman and granted him the Committee Chair the status of a federal minister. Maulana served as Chairman for two terms until 2018. He was succeeded by Fakhar Imam from 2019 to 2020, followed by Shehryar Afridi from 2020 to 2022. After a change in government, Syed Basit Ahmad Sultan was appointed Chairman and held the position until the completion of the assembly’s term in 2023. The current Chairman is Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon.
The current Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir was constituted in April 2016. It comprises members from both the National Assembly and the Senate, providing cross-party representation and institutional continuity.
The Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir performs an advisory and coordination role. It does not exercise executive authority but remains responsible for keeping Parliament informed on developments related to the Kashmir issue. The committee engages with relevant government ministries and interacts with foreign parliamentary delegations and international stakeholders.
The effectiveness and visibility of the committee have varied over time, largely depending on prevailing political priorities and parliamentary activity.
How has been the recent parliamentary response to Kashmir issue?
On February 5, 2025, the National Assembly adopted a resolution on Kashmir Solidarity Day reaffirming Pakistan’s position on the dispute. Similarly, the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir passed a resolution on February 3, 2026, condemning alleged human rights violations and repression in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Both resolutions reiterated that Kashmir remains an unresolved international dispute and called upon the international community to support the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
