Kathmandu: Pakistan Embassy organized a talk program on “Kashmir: A Test of International Law and Conscience” in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The event was attended by journalists, writers and analysts as well as human rights activists. Messages of the President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan were read out. In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains one of the oldest unresolved conflicts, with India occupying the region against the will of its people. In his message, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast moral, diplomatic and political support for the Kashmiri people’s legitimate struggle for their right to self-determination, a fundamental principle of international law upheld by the UN General Assembly.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, in his message, said that the UN Security Council resolutions call for the final status of Jammu and Kashmir to be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite, reflecting the will of the people. India must allow access to international observers and media. Pakistan will continue to support Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination, and urges the UN to implement its resolutions for lasting peace in South Asia, he said.
Ambassador Abrar H Hashmi emphasized the role of international law, global conscience and civil society backing UNSC resolutions for the realization of the rights of the people of IIOJK including right to self-determination. Any legislation taking place under Indian tutelage does not affect the established status of IIOJK as disputed territory, he said.
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