Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday paid a solemn and glowing tribute to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) on the occasion of Right to Self-Determination Day, reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering moral, political and diplomatic support for their just struggle.
On the day marking the 1949 United Nations resolution that recognized the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir and affirmed the Kashmiri people’s right to determine their own future through a free and impartial plebiscite, Chairman PPP said this day serves as a solemn reminder of the international community’s unfulfilled promise. He said the people of IIOJK have endured decades of oppression, violence and denial of basic human rights, but yet their resolve, courage and hope for freedom remain unbroken.
“The right to self-determination is not a concession but an inalienable right, guaranteed by international law and the UN Charter,” he said, adding that no amount of force can silence a people’s legitimate aspiration for dignity and justice.
The PPP Chairman urged the United Nations and the global conscience to move beyond statements and ensure the implementation of its own resolutions on IIOJK.
He said lasting peace in South Asia is impossible without a just and peaceful settlement of the IIOJK issue in accordance with the wishes of the IIOJK people. Reaffirming the legacy of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, he said the PPP will continue to raise its voice on every forum for the Kashmiri people. “We stand with Kashmir-today, tomorrow and until justice is done,” he added.