Mumtaz Hussain
NEW YORK: On the sixth anniversary of Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation), Pakistan called for a UN-backed settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
It warned that peace in South Asia will remain out of reach without a just resolution in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The event in New York, “Unresolved Jammu and Kashmir Dispute: A Threat to Regional Peace and Security”, was hosted by Pakistan’s UN Mission and Consulate General. Diplomats, academics, journalists, civil society leaders, and members of the Pakistani-American community attended.
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad compared the struggles in Kashmir and Palestine. He accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to alter demographics and deny self-determination.
He condemned India’s “demographic engineering” in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and pledged continued political, legal, and moral support for the Kashmiri cause.
Ambassador Asim cited Pakistan’s recent diplomatic win at the UN — the unanimous adoption of its resolution on peaceful dispute settlement. He said it had renewed global focus on Kashmir and Palestine. He welcomed the UN Secretary-General’s reaffirmation that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory.
Consul General Aamer Ahmad Atoazi rejected India’s claim that Kashmir is an internal matter. OIC envoy Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru reiterated the group’s “unshakable” support for Kashmiris and noted recent OIC resolutions rejecting India’s unilateral actions.
Speakers Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Dr. Abdulhamid Siyam, and Dr. Asif-ur-Rehman cited alleged human rights abuses, warned of Kashmir as a nuclear flashpoint, and drew parallels with Palestine. They urged the UN to uphold its principles of self-determination and peaceful resolution.
Messages from Pakistan’s top leadership were read at the event. Second Secretary Rabia Ijaz moderated the proceedings.
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