Muzaffarabad: Kashmiris across the Line of Control and globally marked Right to Self-Determination Day, pledging to persist in their pursuit of an internationally-recognized right.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the call to observe the day was issued by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, commemorating the United Nations Security Council resolution of January 5, 1949, which supports the Kashmiris’ right to determine their future through a UN-supervised plebiscite.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, districts saw protest demonstrations, rallies, and seminars to emphasize the issue. A significant rally in Muzaffarabad, organized by the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, featured participation from thousands, including women, elders, children, and youth. Prime Minister of AJK Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, Convener of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference Ghulam Muhammad Safi, and Leader of the Opposition Khawaja Farooq Ahmed led the rally, with participants holding banners demanding the United Nations uphold the right to self-determination. The rally moved from Burhan Wani Shaheed Chowk to the United Nations Military Observer Office, where a memorandum was presented.

In Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, rallies and seminars urged the UN to fulfill its promise while condemning the actions of Indian forces, which the All Parties Hurriyat Conference claims violate international law. Protests in Kupwara and Jammu also addressed local grievances, with demands for the restoration of statehood and exclusive rights for Kashmiris. In the United States, scholars emphasized the need for a UN-supervised plebiscite and international intervention to resolve the Kashmir conflict and ensure peace.