Pakistan has reiterated its unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s struggle for self-determination, with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling on the global community to uphold their rights and ensure justice.
In a message commemorating the 76th anniversary of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution, President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic, and moral backing for Kashmiris. He highlighted the significance of the UNCIP resolution, adopted on January 5, 1949, which guarantees a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today, we reaffirm the inalienable right of Kashmiris to self-determination, enshrined in international law and supported by human rights principles,” Zardari stated. He condemned India’s prolonged denial of this right and its post-August 5, 2019, measures to alter the demographic and political landscape of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
βThese actions aim to disempower the Kashmiri people in their own homeland,β he added, while lauding the resilience of Kashmiris against oppression and calling on the UN and international community to support their cause.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed these sentiments in his message on “Right to Self-Determination Day,” observed annually on January 5. He emphasized the importance of the historic UNCIP resolution and the legal foundation of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination, rooted in the UN Charter and international law.
“The international community annually reaffirms its support for this right through a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly,” Sharif noted, regretting that the Kashmiri people have been denied this fundamental right for over seven decades.
Sharif urged global powers to pressure India to cease human rights violations, release political prisoners, and restore the basic freedoms of Kashmiris. He condemned India’s ongoing attempts to solidify its occupation of IIOJK through illegal and unilateral actions, particularly after August 5, 2019, aimed at transforming the region’s demographic and political character.
“India’s actions are designed to turn Kashmir’s majority population into a disempowered minority in their own homeland,” Sharif concluded, calling on the global community to fulfill its obligations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
