The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday unanimously adopted a Pakistan-sponsored resolution reaffirming the right of peoples living under colonial, foreign, or alien occupation to self-determination. The resolution, titled “Universal Realisation of the Right of the Peoples to Self-Determination,” was passed by consensus during the UNGA’s 80th session, highlighting broad international support for the principle.
Read More: At UN, Pakistan pushes for implementation of AI safeguards
Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN said the resolution reinforced global attention to the legitimate aspirations of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine, aligning with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
UN General Assembly Adopts Pakistan-Sponsored Resolution on Right to Self-Determination by Consensus
The UN General Assembly, during its 80th Session today, adopted by consensus Pakistan-sponsored resolution entitled “Universal Realization of the Right of the Peoples to…
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) December 18, 2025
The consensual adoption, without a formal vote, underscores continued international recognition that the denial of self-determination remains a root cause of conflict in various regions.
Addressing the Assembly on the occasion of the International Day against Colonialism, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Usman Jadoon said self-determination is “not merely a historical aspiration, but an enduring obligation” of the international community.
He stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is an internationally recognized issue, not a bilateral matter, and that a just resolution is central to peace in South Asia.
Ambassador Jadoon also highlighted the 65th anniversary of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) — the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples — noting that the decolonisation agenda remains unfinished.
He said the declaration’s principles apply not only to Non-Self-Governing Territories but also to peoples under foreign occupation, emphasizing that the right to self-determination is universal and inalienable.
Read More: UN General Assembly supports Palestine, Golan resolutions
Aligning with the Non-Aligned Movement’s statement delivered by Uganda, Pakistan urged member states to uphold international law, implement UN resolutions consistently, and intensify global efforts to eliminate colonialism in all its forms. Ambassador Jadoon reaffirmed that selective application or political conditionality of self-determination is unacceptable and called for renewed international commitment to justice, freedom, and peace for oppressed peoples.