Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari issued statements on Sunday, reaffirming their country's support for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, on the anniversary of a United Nations resolution. Sharif noted that 5 January is observed annually as 'Right to Self-Determination Day' for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, commemorating the 1949 UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution. He said the resolution guaranteed a free and fair plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, enabling the Kashmiri people to exercise their right to self-determination. He stated that the right to self-determination is a core principle of the UN Charter and international law and that the UN General Assembly annually adopts a resolution supporting this right for peoples under foreign occupation. Sharif said that the Kashmiri people have been unable to exercise this right for more than seven decades. "It is time for the international community, including the United Nations, to live up to their promises and take meaningful measures, enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination," Sharif said. He also called for an immediate cessation of human rights violations, the release of political prisoners, and the restoration of fundamental rights and freedoms for the Kashmiri people. Sharif accused India of taking steps to consolidate its occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), undermining the disputed nature of the territory. He alleged that India has been attempting to alter the demographic and political structure of the region through illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019, aiming to transform the majority Kashmiri people into a disempowered minority. He added that India is subjecting the Kashmiri people to "human rights violations while suppressing their struggle for self-determination." Sharif stated that Pakistan will continue its full moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination, as enshrined in the UN Charter and resolutions, and in international law. President Zardari's message also marked the 76th anniversary of the UNCIP resolution. He said that it stipulated the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, reaffirming the right to self-determination for Kashmiris. He stated that India has denied this right to the people of IIOJK for over seven decades, subjecting them to "oppression, violence, and systemic brutalities." Zardari also accused India of attempting to alter the demographic and political fabric of IIOJK since August 5, 2019. He noted that despite this, the Kashmiri people's spirit remains unbroken. Zardari said that the UN General Assembly annually adopts a resolution on the right to self-determination, drawing international attention to the plight of people living under forced occupation. He called on the international community, especially the United Nations, to support the people of IIOJK in exercising their right to self-determination and to halt India's human rights violations in the region. Zardari said that Pakistan will continue its full political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for their rights, including self-determination, as per the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
