Public-centric approaches imperative for global attention on Kashmir issue: experts

ISLAMABAD: Addressing a roundtable discussion here, visiting Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (MAPIM), President Muhammad Azmi Bin Hamid has regretted that the colonial powers had deliberately left behind unresolved disputes to internally weaken post-colonial societies.

“While the establishment of the United Nations had initially raised hopes for justice, its failure to resolve disputes like Kashmir and Palestine has raised serious concerns about its effectiveness,” he said.

The discussion was hosted by The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). Muhammad Azmi reiterated Malaysia’s steadfast support for the Kashmir cause. He suggested that, given shifting global dynamics, informal, people-centric approaches should be prioritized to sustain international attention on Kashmir. 

He emphasized the importance of action-oriented research and innovative solutions to create an enabling environment for resolving the dispute. The roundtable discussion was organized to evaluate the current status of the global movement for Jammu & Kashmir and explore strategies to highlight India’s illegal occupation, its continued aggression against Kashmiris, and its denial of the right to self-determination, as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions.

In his remarks Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood applauded MAPIM’s commendable work under Muhammad Azmi’s leadership in advocating for the causes of the Ummah, particularly Kashmir. 

He acknowledged MAPIM’s efforts in drawing international attention to the plight of the Kashmiris and emphasized that the delegation’s visit to ISSI provided an opportunity to share insights as well as exchange views on the evolving global dynamics with reference to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Former Foreign Secretary and ISSI chief ambassador Sohail Mahmood emphasized that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must be examined through legal, human rights, and peace and security perspectives. 

Legally, he asserted that the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination is enshrined in international law and UN resolutions, which India has historically evaded while now openly violating these obligations by claiming the territory as its ‘integral part.’ He also highlighted India’s attempts to misrepresent the Kashmiri freedom struggle as ‘terrorism’ and accelerate demographic changes post-August 5, 2019. 

On human rights, he highlighted widespread abuses, including prolonged curfews, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the persecution of activists, journalists, and youth as part of its agenda to silence dissent and quell resistance in the occupied territory. From a security standpoint, he warned that this unresolved dispute remained the main obstacle in the way of sustainable peace in South Asia.