PM seeks world leaders’ help to end Indian bloodshed in Kashmir

Nawaz Sharif has written letters to permanent members of the UNSC, says Foreign Office

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged powerful world leaders to call upon the Indian government to immediately stop bloodshed in occupied Kashmir and implement relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“The prime minister has written letters to heads of government/state of permanent members of the UNSC (China, France, Russian Federation, UK and the USA) regarding grave human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir, being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces,” Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday.

“The letters emphasise the extremely negative implications of the dire situation in the IoK, on regional, as well as international peace and security,” the communiqué added.



Highlighting the violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws in the occupied territory, the primer reminded the permanent members of the UNSC to fulfill their responsibility of the Kashmir dispute — the oldest internationally recognised unresolved dispute on UNSC agenda.

“Despite the passage of more than 68 years since the adoption of multiple resolutions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir still await the implementation of these resolutions which promised them the right to self-determination to be exercised through the holding of a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices,” the Foreign Office quoted the PM as saying.

Terming non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute a constant source of tension and instability in the region and a threat to international peace and security, the prime minister urged the permanent UNSC members to call upon the Indian government to honour its human rights obligations as well as its commitments to the Kashmiris.

PM Nawaz also highlighted Pakistan's commitment to peacefully resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council.



Indian-held Kashmir has been in the grip of widespread protests against Indian rule for more than two months, sparked by the killing of a popular rebel leader in a gun battle with soldiers on July 8.

Over 100 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the deadly protests and clashes, the worst violence to hit the region since 2010. Several rebel groups have for decades fought Indian soldiers – currently numbering around 500,000 – deployed in the territory, demanding independence for the region or its merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.