ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif declared on Sunday that the international community must accept a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as the sole foundation for durable peace in South Asia.
In a forceful statement marking the Right to Self-Determination Day observed on January 5, 2026, the premier called for urgent global intervention against India. He demanded the reversal of New Delhi’s contested actions and the fulfillment of decades-old United Nations pledges to the Kashmiri people.
Unfulfilled UN Promises
Sharif anchored his message in the historic United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution of January 5, 1949. He noted the landmark decision explicitly required a free and impartial plebiscite to decide the fate of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Sadly, this commitment remains unfulfilled to this day,” Sharif stated. “The resolution has never been implemented, due to India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The prime emphasized that Pakistan solemnly reaffirms its unwavering support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their struggle.
Post-August 2019 Crackdown
The statement sharply criticized the situation since August 5, 2019, when India revoked the special autonomy of the region. Sharif accused India of undertaking illegal and unilateral measures to systematically alter the demographic and political landscape of the territory.
He detailed a grim human rights situation, asserting that suffering has multiplied. The prime minister listed specific grievances:
- Thousands of Kashmiri political prisoners remain behind bars.
- Sixteen political outfits have been outlawed by occupation authorities.
- Profiling, harassment, and arbitrary detentions of innocent Kashmiris have become the norm.
- So-called cordon search operations terrorize the local population.
Call for International Action
Sharif urged the international community to move beyond statements. He called for immediate pressure on India to halt widespread human rights violations, reverse the unilateral actions of August 2019, and repeal what he termed draconian laws.
“We urge the international community to urgently call upon India to give the right to self-determination to the Kashmiri people, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the prime minister said.
Despite the crackdown, Sharif praised the resilience of the Kashmiri people. He concluded that all Indian coercive measures have failed to subjugate the will of the people of IIOJK or suppress their quest for freedom. Pakistan, he vowed, will continue to extend moral, political, and diplomatic support on every available platform.
