Pakistan HC urges int. community to honor promise to grant self-determination to Kashmiris

High Commissioner of Pakistan to the Maldives, Vice Admiral Ather Mukhtar, has urged the international community to live up to the promise of granting self-determination to Kashmiris.

High Commissioner Mukhtar stated this during an intimate ceremony held at the High Commission of Pakistan this morning to observe the 'Right to Self-Determination Day'.

On this note, High Commissioner Muktar highlighted that today marks the 73 years since the United Nations committed that the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute would be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite.

He said this in reference to a resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on January 5, 1949, affirming its support to the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination of Kashmiris.

Stressing that self-determination was one of the fundamental rights codified in all major human rights instruments in addition to the United Nations Charter, High Commissioner Mukhtar said that the denial of this right and subjugation of Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is a negation of human dignity.

Despite so, he added that the right has unfortunately not been realized for Kashmiris because of continuing oppression by India in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Therefore, he strongly urged the international community, including the United Nations, to honor the promise of granting the right to self-determination to Kashmiris.

Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan to Maldives, Zulqurnain Ahmad, also spokes at today's ceremony.

Noting that that three generations of Kashmiris have waited for the World Community and the United Nations to honor the commitments made to them - he said that Kashmiris across the world are observing 'Right to Self-Determination Day' for the purpose of reminding the international community of their promises. 

He also assured that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiri people until they realize their legitimate right to Self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

At the ceremony, national anthems of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir were played to express solidarity with the Kashmiris in their struggle for the right to self-determination.