LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Kashmiri people, strongly endorsing their internationally recognized right to self-determination and expressing confidence that their struggle for freedom will ultimately succeed.
In a statement issued on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity-related activities, the chief minister said that freedom is the fundamental and inalienable right of the Kashmiri people. She added that, by the grace of Allah, the long-standing struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir would one day reach its rightful conclusion.
Maryam Nawaz referred to the United Nations Security Council resolution of January 5, 1949, which calls for a free and impartial plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir to allow the people to determine their own future. She said that despite the passage of 77 years, the Kashmiri people are still waiting for the implementation of this international commitment.
Highlighting the human rights dimension of the Kashmir dispute, the Punjab chief minister said that the right to self-determination is a cornerstone of human dignity. Denial of this right, she added, amounts to a grave violation of basic human freedoms and runs contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as various United Nations human rights conventions.
She also accused India of pursuing policies aimed at erasing the identity of Kashmiris by changing the demographic composition of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. According to Maryam Nawaz, these measures are part of a broader strategy to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people, while the region has effectively been turned into one of the most heavily militarized zones in the world.
