ISLAMABAD: Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and across the world observed Right to Self-Determination Day today, renewing their pledge to continue their peaceful struggle for freedom in accordance with United Nations resolutions. The day marks January 5, 1949, when the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution affirming the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their future through UN-supervised plebiscite. In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on this occasion. He noted that the UN resolution recognised the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir and guaranteed the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination through a free and impartial vote. The President said that more than seven decades later, the commitment made by the international community remains unfulfilled. He stressed that the continued denial of this right contradicts the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Expressing concern over the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), he said that restrictions on political activities, curbs on freedom of expression, prolonged detentions, and the use of coercive laws have created an atmosphere of fear. He added that civilians continue to suffer due to violence, displacement, and disruption of livelihoods. President Zardari also highlighted concerns over India’s control of rivers originating in Jammu and Kashmir, calling the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty a dangerous move with serious implications for regional stability, food security, and livelihoods. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s position that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute can only be resolved through dialogue and the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. Pakistan, he said, will continue to extend moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people. READ MORE: No lasting peace without resolution of Kashmir dispute: PM Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a separate message, reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. He said January 5 serves as a reminder of the international community’s commitment to resolve the dispute through a UN-sponsored plebiscite. “On 5 January 1949, the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) adopted the landmark resolution, which unequivocally stipulated that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir would be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations. Sadly, this commitment remains unfulfilled to this day, as the resolution has never been implemented, due to India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said. The Prime Minister said that the people of IIOJK have endured decades of suffering, which has intensified since August 5, 2019, following India’s unilateral actions that altered the region’s political and demographic status. He said that the world must also recognize that a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is the only way to achieve durable peace in South Asia. We urge the international community to urgently call upon India to halt its widespread human rights violations in IIOJK, reverse its unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019, repeal the draconian laws and give the right to self-determination to the Kashmiri people, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions, he said. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026