Pakistan has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the Kashmiri people’s struggle for self-determination, urging the international community to take decisive action to support their cause. On the 76th anniversary of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution, both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s ongoing political, diplomatic, and moral support for Kashmiris.
The UNCIP resolution, passed on January 5, 1949, called for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision to determine the future of Jammu and Kashmir. President Zardari emphasized that the right to self-determination for Kashmiris is an inalienable right, enshrined in international law and backed by human rights instruments. He condemned India for denying this right for more than seven decades, particularly criticizing its actions since August 2019, which aim to alter the demographic and political landscape of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “These steps attempt to turn Kashmiris into a disempowered community in their own homeland,” Zardari stated.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed similar sentiments, marking January 5 as the annual ‘Right to Self-Determination Day’ for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He reminded the world of the UNCIP resolution’s guarantee of a free and fair plebiscite, which has not been realized for over seventy years. Sharif stressed that the United Nations Charter upholds the right to self-determination for all people, especially those under foreign occupation, and called for immediate cessation of human rights violations in IIOJK, the release of political prisoners, and the restoration of basic rights for Kashmiris.
Pakistan’s leadership also called on the international community to hold India accountable for its ongoing actions, which continue to undermine the internationally recognized disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir. Both leaders urged global powers to fulfil their commitments and support Kashmiris in realizing their right to self-determination.
