Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement marking Kashmir Solidarity Day, on Thursday accused India of engaging in “ideological coercion” and perpetuating a “hostile environment” in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that actions in the territory are driven by a Hindutva ideology aimed at suppressing dissent and curtailing religious freedoms.
The Prime Minister”s message was released to coincide with the annual observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day, an occasion for the government and people of Pakistan to reaffirm their support for what he described as the “just struggle” of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.
The statement specifically criticised India”s unilateral administrative and legal measures taken on 5 August 2019, labelling them as “illegal” attempts to consolidate its occupation. Mr Sharif asserted that these actions contravene the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, and cannot diminish the rights of the Kashmiri people.
According to the premier, the region remains heavily militarised and is marked by “total repression and egregious human rights violations,” citing arbitrary political detentions and severe restrictions on the media as routine instruments used to silence dissent.
The message reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is one of the oldest unresolved issues on the UN”s agenda. It noted that numerous Security Council resolutions have established the territory’s disputed status and prescribed a “fair and impartial plebiscite” to determine its final disposition, a right he stated has been denied for nearly eight decades due to Indian “intransigence”.
Prime Minister Sharif reassured Kashmiris of Pakistan’s continued and complete moral, diplomatic, and political support for their cause. He highlighted his own advocacy for their right to self-determination at international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly, vowing that this support would persist until a UN-backed plebiscite is held.