Islamabad calls for international action over disputed territory, citing human rights concerns and restrictions imposed since India revoked Kashmir’s special status in 2019

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD -  Pakistan on Tuesday observed Kashmir Black Day, marking 79 years since Indian troops landed in Srinagar on October 27, 1947, as Islamabad renewed its call for a peaceful settlement of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri people, urging the international community to pay greater attention to their rights and long-standing demand for self-determination.

In his message marking the day, Sharif said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been denied their right to determine their political future, despite relevant UN Security Council resolutions envisaging a peaceful settlement of the dispute.

He paid tribute to generations of Kashmiris who, he said, had endured hardship and repression while continuing to seek freedom, dignity and justice.

“The aspirations of the Kashmiri people cannot be extinguished through coercion or repression,” Sharif said, reaffirming that Pakistan would continue to raise the issue at national and international forums.

- Pakistan criticises India's 2019 actions

Sharif criticised India’s unilateral measures of August 5, 2019, when the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status and reorganised the former state into two federally administered union territories.

Pakistan argues that the subsequent legislative and administrative changes have altered the disputed territory’s political and demographic character and restricted fundamental freedoms.

The prime minister also expressed concern over the continued detention of Kashmiri political leaders, activists and human rights defenders, calling for due process and respect for basic liberties.

India maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and has defended its 2019 decision as a step towards better governance, development and integration. The move has remained a major source of tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

- Dar urges international engagement

In a separate statement, Dar said the Kashmir dispute remained unresolved nearly eight decades after the events of October 1947 and called on the international community to help facilitate a just and lasting settlement.

He said relevant UN Security Council resolutions remained central to resolving the dispute and emphasised the need for sustained international engagement.

Dar also highlighted concerns about restrictions on fundamental freedoms, the detention of political leaders and changes introduced after August 2019, saying these developments had deepened insecurity and alienation among Kashmiris.

He called on relevant UN bodies, human rights organisations and other international stakeholders to continue examining the situation and promoting respect for fundamental rights.

-  A dispute dating back to 1947

The Kashmir dispute dates to the partition of British India in 1947, when the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir became the subject of competing claims by India and Pakistan.

India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars and experienced repeated military confrontations over the region. The UN Security Council adopted resolutions addressing the dispute, including proposals for a settlement involving the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, India's continuous refusal to implement the UNSC resolutions has prevented a final settlement of the decades-long conflict.

Pakistan maintains that the Kashmiri people should be able to determine their future in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. India rejects Pakistan’s position on the territory and considers Kashmir a bilateral issue.

However, Sharif and Dar said Pakistan would continue to provide political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Indian-administered Kashmir and advocate their rights at international forums.

The Pakistani government said a peaceful resolution of the dispute was essential for lasting peace and stability in South Asia.