Yesterday, Pakistan Embassy organized a Talk Programme on Kashmir Solidarity Day, “Kashmir: A Test of International Law and Conscience”. The event was attended by journalists, writers and analysts as well as human rights activists. Messages of the President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan were read out.
In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains one of the oldest unresolved conflicts, with India occupying the region against the will of its people. India’s illegal actions of 5th August 2019 worsened the situation, aiming to disempower Kashmiris. Despite India’s efforts to consolidate its occupation through administrative and legislative measures, the Kashmiri people’s desire for self-determination remains unshaken.
In his message, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reaffirms Pakistan’s steadfast moral, diplomatic and political support for the Kashmiri people’s legitimate struggle for their right to self-determination, a fundamental principle of international law upheld by the UN General Assembly. Despite the passage of seventy-eight years, the Kashmiri people have not been able to exercise this inalienable right. Today, the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remains one of the most militarized regions, where Kashmiris live in fear and intimidation with political activists and human rights defenders enduring prolonged detention and property confiscation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, in his message, said that the UN Security Council resolutions call for the final status of Jammu and Kashmir to be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite, reflecting the will of the people. India must allow access to international observers and media. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination, and urges the UN to implement its resolutions for lasting peace in South Asia.
Ambassador Abrar H Hashmi emphasized the role of international law, global conscience and civil society backing UNSC resolutions for the realization of the rights of the people of IIOJK including right to self-determination. Any legislation taking place under Indian tutelage does not affect the established status of IIOJK as disputed territory.
The ensuing discussion touched on need for dialogue, taking up the issue at international organizations under international legal and humanitarian laws and collective conscience of the global community to play their role in highlighting the plight of the subjugated people of IIOJK and elsewhere.
