On 5 January 1949, United Nations Commission on India and Pakistan
(UNCIP) adopted a resolution, guaranteeing a free and impartial
plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Today marks 73rd anniversary of the
United Nations’ commitment that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute would be
decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite
under the UN auspices.
Kashmiris around the world are observing this Right to
Self-Determination Day to make the international community realize that
their promise to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and
Kashmir (IIOJK) remains unfulfilled. In these difficult seven decades,
three generations of Kashmiris have suffered at the hands of Indian
occupation forces, waiting for the actualization of UN’s promise to
them.
Despite lapse of seven decades, Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains
unresolved due to India’s obstinate refusal to honour its commitments
and its disrespect for the fundamental human rights and international
law. Since August 5, 2019, through a number of illegal and unilateral
steps, India has created an environment of fear and chaos in HIOJK.
India has promulgated new domicile, rules and introduced amendments in
landownership laws to alter the demographic structure of the occupied
territory in clear violation of the international law including the U
Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and the 4th Geneva
Convention.
With the pandemic situation, the Kashmiris are faced with ‘double
lockdown’ in IIOJK. The lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic are estimated
to have cost around US$ 9.5 billion to the economy of the IIOJK.
Indian occupation forces have intensified repression of the Kashmiris
through surge in extra-judicial killings, fake encounters, arbitrary
detention of Kashmiri journalists and human rights defenders,
communications blackouts, incarceration of Kashmiri political leaders,
violent suppression of peaceful Kashmiri protests, use of pellet guns
and demolition of entire neighborhoods and villages as collective
punishment.
No amount of Indian attempts will succeed in misleading the
international community and glossing over India’s state-terrorism being
perpetrated with shameless impunity in IIOJK. Nor could use of brutal
force ever succeed in breaking the will of the Kashmiri people in their
just and legitimate struggle.
Pakistan calls upon the international community to hold India
accountable for the egregious human rights violations in IIOJK and to
play its role for peaceful and durable resolution of the Jammu and
Kashmir dispute.
Pakistan, on its part, will continue to extend all possible support
to the Kashmiri people until they realize their legitimate and
inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with the relevant
UN Security Council Resolutions.