In a significant gathering in Islamabad, experts and diplomats have forcefully reiterated the demand for the United Nations to implement its historic resolution on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The call centers on the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution adopted on January 5, 1949, which mandates a free and impartial plebiscite.
Historical Mandate and Contemporary Urgency
The roundtable discussion, titled “5 January: The Call for Self-Determination in Jammu and Kashmir,” was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) and the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC). Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman of ISSI’s Board of Governance, stated unequivocally that the resolution establishes the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided by its people through a UN-supervised vote. He firmly rejected India's stance that Kashmir is a bilateral or internal issue, labeling this position a contradiction of international law and history.
“Jammu and Kashmir is not a territorial dispute but a question of the people’s right to self-determination,” Mahmood asserted. He reminded the audience that it was India which initially brought the issue to the UN and accepted its framework. He highlighted the continued relevance of the dispute on the UN agenda, symbolized by the ongoing presence of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). The nuclear dimension of the conflict and reported human rights abuses, he said, amplify the need for a peaceful resolution.
Legal Roadmap and Accusations of Stalling
Dr. Khurram Abbas, Director of the ISSI India Study Centre, argued that the importance of the UNCIP resolution has grown since India's actions of August 5, 2019. He noted that nearly eight decades later, the people of Kashmir are still waiting for their promised right. Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman of KIIR, described the January 5 resolution as a clear legal roadmap, emphasizing that the UN affirmed the people's right to decide their future, countering any unilateral measures.
Senior Hurriyet leader Farooq Rehmani accused India of never intending to honor the UN resolutions, instead using procedural delays to complicate the process. He recounted human rights abuses from the 1990s and condemned the demographic changes accelerated since 2019 through the issuance of domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris. Rehmani clarified that Kashmiris seek the fulfillment of self-determination, not merely the restoration of Articles 370 or 35A.
International Law and Call for Diplomatic Push
Ambassador Riffat Masood, Pakistan’s representative to the OIC-Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, called it ironic that India, born from a movement for self-determination, denies that same right to Kashmiris. Citing precedents like Kosovo and East Timor, she affirmed self-determination as a bedrock principle of international law. She particularly highlighted the suffering of Kashmiri women, including “half-widows,” and urged Pakistan to intensify its global diplomatic campaign.
Her recommendations included:
- Appointment of a UN special envoy on Kashmir.
- Exploring legal accountability mechanisms for alleged human rights violations.
- Sustained international advocacy for the Kashmiri cause.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood praised the resilience of the Kashmiri people and reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering political, moral, and diplomatic support for their legitimate right to self-determination, as pledged by the international community over seven decades ago.
