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Message from the Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Kashmiris’ Right to Self-determination Day – 5th January 2022

Today marks the completion of 73 years since the United Nations committed that the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute would be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite. Through its resolution of 05 January 1949, the United Nations Security Council affirmed its support to the realization of inalienable right to self-determination of Kashmiris.

Self-determination is one of the fundamental rights codified in all major human rights instruments as well as the United Nations Charter. The denial of this right and subjugation of Kashmiris in IIOJK is negation of human dignity.

Unfortunately, this right has not yet been realized for Kashmiris because of continuing oppression by India in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In the last seven decades, three-generations of Kashmiris have rendered tremendous sacrifices for their just struggle, yet their human dignity is being violated on daily basis in IIOJK.

Since its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, India has been relentlessly pursuing further consolidation of its illegal military occupation, including through land confiscation, influx of non-Kashmiris and creation of alien settlements in IIOJK in flagrant violation of international law especially the UN Charter, relevant UNSC resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The surge in fake encounters and so-called cordon-and-search-operations has resulted in the martyrdom of over 500 Kashmiris since 5th August 2019. This is abhorrent manifestation of the callous behavior and moral bankruptcy of BJP-RSS combine.

India must realize that the use of brutal force against the Kashmiri people, including extra-judicial killings, custodial torture, enforced disappearances, incarceration of Kashmiri leadership and youth, use of pellet guns, destruction of houses to inflict collective punishment on the Kashmiri communities, and other methods of subjugation have failed in the past and will not succeed in the future.

The indigenous resistance movement of the Kashmiris for their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, will only become stronger in the face of Indian state-terrorism.

Pakistan calls upon the international community, including the United Nations, human rights organizations and the global media, to take full cognizance of the aggravating situation in IIJK and hold India accountable for egregious human rights violations and serious crimes against humanity in the occupied territory.

The international community must act in support of the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris. The United Nations must live up to its promise of granting right to self-determination to Kashmiris. It must urge India to allow UN fact finding mission to IIOJK to investigate the reports of grave human rights violations there.

Pakistan remains fully supportive of and stands in solidarity with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters. We will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris till the realization of their unalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Islamabad, 5th January 2022