Kashmiris observe right to self-determination day today: World rejects demographic changes in IOJ&K by India

ISLAMABAD: The international community has widely rejected India’s attempts to alter the disputed status of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K), said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here on Monday.

He was commenting on the 72nd 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 the Kashmiris’ Right to Self-determination Day on Tuesday (today).

“Thanks to awakened global conscience, the fresh spate of India’s illegal and unilateral actions, aimed at altering the disputed status of IOJ&K and bringing about demographic change to undermine the right to self-determination of Kashmiris, have been widely rejected by the international community”, he was quoted by his office.

He asked the international community to continue its support for fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris and urge India to allow the UN to investigate the grave human rights violations in the IOJ&K.

“India must allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) unhindered access to carry out its duties in the IOJ&K. If India has nothing to hide, why does it not allow international media and civil society to visit and report on the human rights situation in IOJ&K? he questioned.

“Through this resolution, the United Nations affirmed its support for realization of inalienable right to self-determination of Kashmiris – a right from which all other fundamental freedoms and basic human rights emanate”, was a reminder from Qureshi.

Regrettably, this right of Kashmiris is being brazenly denied by India in (IOJ&K for more than past seven decades, he added.

“The United Nations, especially the UN Security Council, bear the responsibility to ensure fulfilment of the promise of granting the right to self-determination to the Kashmiris. India is the sole cause of non-fulfillment of this promise”, he said.

Post 5 August 2019, India’s unabated oppression has reached unprecedented levels with the inhuman military siege now in place for over 500 days. In the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, India has deprived Kashmiris of their basic rights to life, health and food.

“Let me reaffirm Pakistan’s strong and steadfast support to the valiant Kashmiri people in their just struggle for human dignity and their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions”, he assured.