United Nations, February 5, 2025( Kamran Raja): Speakers at the Kashmir Solidarity Day event titled “Keeping the Promise of Self-Determination Alive for the People of Jammu and Kashmir”, hosted jointly by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN and the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York, reaffirmed their steadfast support for Kashmiris in their struggle for right to self-determination. They emphatically called for the resolution of the longstanding dispute in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
The event held at the chancery building in New York brought together members of the OIC Contact Group on Kashmir, students, academics, journalists and the members of the Kashmiri diaspora community and overseas Pakistanis.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Zafar Iqbal Malik, Minister of Higher Education, AJK Government; Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, Permanent Representative of Turkiye to the UN, Ambassador Tofig Musayev, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN; Ambassador Hameed Ajibaiye Opeloyeru, Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Mr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Alateek, Deputy Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia; Mr. Shahal Khoso, researcher and academic; Mr. Amir Ahmad Atozai, Consul General of Pakistan in New York and Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Alternate Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Munir Akram thanked the members of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir for their unwavering support to Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He said that Kashmiris’ story of defiance of the Indian occupation is about fundamental rights and justice. He paid rich tributes to generations of Kashmiris for their sacrifices and struggle for their legitimate fundamental rights.
Ambassador Munir Akram said that the UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir are valid and in force, adding that no national legislation by India could alter the international character of the Kashmir dispute. He explained that UN resolutions could be changed in two ways; either they are implemented or the Security Council amends them, arguing that there was no other way their legal status could be changed. Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, he said that the Indian actions were null and void.
Ambassador Akram emphasized that under Article 25 of the UN Charter, India was obliged to implement the UNSC resolutions. He informed the audience that following India’s illegal actions of August 5, 2019, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was raised at the Security Council three times.
He said that the task before Pakistani diplomats was to make the international community aware of the threats to regional peace and security in the absence of just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Zafar Iqbal Malik, AJK Minister for Higher Education, thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for raising a consistent voice for the rights of Kashmiris. He reminded the international community of its obligations towards Kashmiris, stating that the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir like their brothers and sisters in IIOJK were waiting for dispensation of justice.
In his remarks, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, Permanent Representative of Turkiye to the UN, conveyed Turkiye’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination in line with the UNSC resolutions. He also thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for standing by Turkiye during difficult times.
The Turkish Ambassador said that we have followed with great concern what Kashmiris have been made to endure, adding that his country opposed unilateral steps taken by India in Jammu and Kashmir including demographic and other administrative and legal changes there. He said that the annulment of Article 370 complicated the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and emphasized that the relevant UNSC resolutions provided the framework for just resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Voicing his country’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, Ambassador Tofig Musayev, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN, highlighted the need for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the international norms, UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. He said that continuous efforts needed to be made for the establishment of sustainable peace in South Asia, adding that the OIC was actively engaged in matters of peace and security.
Ambassador Hameed Ajibaiye Opeloyeru, Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in his remarks, reiterated the OIC’s strong support for the Kashmir cause. He demanded that all illegal measures initiated on August 5, 2019, which sought to change the demographic structure of Jammu and Kashmir, should be revoked.
Ambassador Hameed referred to the various decisions and resolutions of the Islamic Summit and the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Jammu and Kashmir and urged the international community to play a more active role to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He said that the right to self-determination sprang from the UN Charter and UNSC resolutions, stating that efforts needed to be made to mobilize public opinion and especially the youth.
Mr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Alateek, Deputy Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia, highlighted the need for constructive dialogue and engagement for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He said that upholding and respecting the aspirations of Kashmiris was important in this regard.
Mr. Shahal Khoso, researcher and academic at Yale University, underlined the need for serious efforts to create an intellectual academic infrastructure for Kashmir studies as a discipline that is empirical, comparative and globally oriented. He called for making Kashmir the part of mainstream academic discourse through different initiatives.
In his speech, Consul General of Pakistan in New York, Mr. Aamer Ahmed Atozai, condemned the grave human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), especially following India’s unilateral revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5, 2019.
He lauded the New York State Assembly’s 2021 resolution declaring February 5 as “Kashmir-American Day”, calling it a significant recognition of the Kashmiri people’s struggle and growing global awareness of India’s rights violations.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s diplomatic, political, and moral support for Kashmiris, he urged the international community to break its silence on the suffering in IIOJK
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Asim Iftithar Ahmad, Alternate Permanent Representative of Pakistan, said that the struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination is vital, regardless of any geostrategic considerations. He said that this right is enshrined in the UN Charter, international law, UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
He said that the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) dispute is not just a territorial issue it has legal, political, human rights, and peace and security dimensions that demand urgent international attention.
Ambassador Asim explained that the mechanism for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute is clearly defined in relevant UNSC resolutions. The focus remains on the plebiscite that allows Kashmiris to determine their own future, as their will is supreme, he explained.
He recalled the UN Secretary-General’s statement of August 8, 2019, in which the latter reaffirmed that the position of the United Nations on Jammu and Kashmir is governed by relevant UNSC resolutions, adding that this stance underscored the legitimacy of Pakistan’s stance on the issue.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the Kashmiri people, in line with international law and the UN framework. He lauded the role of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), comprising 57 countries, and said that the OIC has consistently upheld the just cause of Kashmiris, reflecting the broad-based international recognition of their plight.
To further strengthen support for Kashmiris, he stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy, focusing on Engaging with U.S. lawmakers and decision-makers to build greater political and legal backing.
Expanding legal efforts to highlight India’s violations of international law and human rights.
Raising the Kashmir issue across the entire UN system, ensuring continuous global attention.
Leveraging media, particularly social media platforms, to counter misinformation and amplify Kashmiri voices.
Reinvigorating academic and think-tank discussions on Jammu and Kashmir to shape informed global discourse.
Ambassador Asim said that it is imperative that the international community breaks its silence and upholds its moral and legal responsibility toward the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He said that Pakistan will continue its diplomatic, political, and moral support for the Kashmiri cause until a just and lasting solution is achieved in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.