ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday raised the Kashmir issue in the UN General Assembly, saying that to “secure durable peace”, India should reverse the Abrogation of Article 370 and enter into a dialogue for “peaceful” resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue, media reports said.
Addressing the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Sharif criticised India for its ongoing repression in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, accusing it of ignoring United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that call for a plebiscite to allow Kashmiris to determine their own future, the Express Tribune reported.”Like the people of Palestine, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination,” Sharif said.
He condemned India’s actions since August 5, 2019, when it revoked Kashmir’s special status, and accused New Delhi of attempting to impose a “final solution” by illegally altering the region’s demographic composition.He described India’s use of nearly a million troops in the region as a “classic settler-colonial project,” designed to turn the Muslim majority into a minority.
Touching upon a range of global issues, Sharif’s remarks focused on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the global climate crisis, and the international community’s failure to uphold justice and human rights.
Sharif began his address with a recitation from the Quran and expressed his pride in representing Pakistan for the second time at the General Assembly. He congratulated the newly-elected president of the UNGA, Dennis Francis, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to the UN Charter, media reports said.
Sharif condemned Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza, describing the situation as a “genocidal war” and a humanitarian catastrophe. He painted a vivid picture of the suffering of Palestinian civilians, particularly women and children, calling for an end to the violence.
“Our hearts bleed as we witness the tragedy unfolding in the Holy Land,” Sharif said. “This is not just a conflict; it is the systematic slaughter of innocent people and an assault on the very essence of human life and dignity.”
Sharif urged the international community to stop the bloodshed and work towards a durable peace through a two-state solution, calling for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem (Al-Quds Al-Sharif) as its capital.
He demanded that Palestine be admitted as a full member of the United Nations, stressing the need for immediate action to protect the lives of Palestinians.
Sharif drew parallels between the plight of the Palestinian people and the decades-long struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. (UNI)
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