Islamabad, January 5, 2026: Pakistan on Monday reiterated its unwavering solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), reaffirming its moral, political and diplomatic support for their right to self-determination, as enshrined in United Nations resolutions.
In a message issued on Right to Self-Determination Day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan said the day marks the historic adoption of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolution on January 5, 1949, which guaranteed a free and impartial plebiscite for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The statement noted that this commitment has since been reaffirmed through multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and annual UN General Assembly resolutions recognizing the right to self-determination as a fundamental principle of international law and a cornerstone of the UN Charter.
Highlighting the situation in IIOJK, the Foreign Minister said the Kashmiri people have been denied their inalienable right to self-determination for over seven decades under what Pakistan described as India’s illegal occupation. He said the people of the region continue to face systematic repression, widespread human rights violations, and denial of their fundamental freedoms and dignity.
The message particularly condemned India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, terming them illegal and aimed at consolidating occupation through demographic changes in IIOJK. These measures, the statement said, seek to marginalize the Kashmiri people in their own homeland and constitute a clear violation of international law and the principle of self-determination.
Despite decades of oppression and significant sacrifices, the Foreign Minister said the Kashmiri people have remained steadfast in their struggle. He paid tribute to their resilience, courage and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Pakistan reaffirmed that it would continue to extend full support to the people of IIOJK until the realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement also called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, to honor its long-standing commitments and play its mandated role in ensuring a just, peaceful and lasting resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
