PM Imran welcomes UNSC move for taking up Kashmir issue
Prime Minister Imran Khan says Kashmir dispute must be resolved in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions granting Kashmiri people the right of self determination under a free and fair plebiscite. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the United Nation Security Council's (UNSC) discussion on Kashmir dispute, which has been on its agenda for more than 70 years.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, the premier said that the UNSC, under the UN Charter, not only has the responsibility for maintaining international peace and security but also of ensuring implementation of its resolutions.
"We thank the Council members who expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights & humanitarian situation in IIOJK, advised against escalation of tensions, underscored the need for respecting international law & called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute," he said in a tweet.
Talking about Pakistan's position regarding the issue, PM Imran said that the dispute must be resolved in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions granting Kashmiri people the right to self-determination under a free and fair plebiscite.
He further said that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiri people until they secure this inalienable right.
On Wednesday, the UNSC had expressed concerns over the human rights situation in IIOJK, particularly Indian authorities’ continued oppression as well as attempts to change its demography.
The 15-member Council had met to discuss the current Kashmir situation on the request of Pakistan. China, which is a permanent member of the UNSC, played a key role in arranging the closed-door discussions for the third time in a year after India revoked the special status of the disputed territory.
The UNSC took up the issue on the first anniversary of India’s illegal annexation of IIOJK. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters after the meeting that the UNSC convened its meeting on Kashmir within 72-hour of Pakistan’s request.
China and Turkey also reiterated their principled stance over the Kashmir issue and stressed that any unilateral change in the status quo in IIOJK was illegal and invalid, as it did not contribute to peace and stability in the region.