Ashraf AboArafe
On the occasion of Right to Self-Determination Day, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, renewed Pakistan’s firm and unwavering support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their just struggle to exercise their internationally recognized right to self-determination.
In a message issued on 5 January, the Prime Minister said the day stands as a solemn reminder of the historic pledge made by the international community through United Nations Security Council resolutions, affirming that the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided by its people.
Recalling history, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif noted that on 5 January 1949, the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) adopted a landmark resolution mandating that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. He regretted that, more than seven decades later, this commitment remains unfulfilled due to India’s continued illegal occupation of the territory.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the people of IIOJK have endured nearly eight decades of oppression, with their suffering intensifying sharply since 5 August 2019, when India carried out unilateral and illegal actions aimed at altering the demographic and political character of the occupied region.
He drew attention to what he described as a systematic campaign of repression, including the silencing of Kashmiri political leadership, curbs on media freedom, the incarceration of thousands of political prisoners, and the banning of at least sixteen Kashmiri political organizations. Practices such as arbitrary detentions, profiling, harassment, and so-called cordon and search operations, he said, have become routine under occupation.
Despite these coercive measures, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that India has failed to break the will of the Kashmiri people or extinguish their legitimate struggle for self-determination. He paid tribute to their courage, resilience, and steadfastness in the face of what he termed ongoing atrocities.
The Prime Minister further stressed that a just and lasting resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is essential for durable peace and stability in South Asia. He urged the international community to take urgent notice of the human rights situation in IIOJK and to call on India to end its violations, reverse the illegal actions of 5 August 2019, repeal draconian laws, and implement UN Security Council resolutions guaranteeing the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.
Concluding his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to extend unwavering moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri cause and will remain the voice of the Kashmiri people at every available international forum.
