Islamabad: Sardar Masood Khan, the former Ambassador of Pakistan and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has called for the Kashmir cause to be transformed into an international civil rights movement rather than relying on symbolic observances. According to President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khan emphasized this point during his addresses at the Institute of Policy Research Islamabad, the Institute of Regional Studies, and Foundation University.

Ambassador Khan highlighted the need for Pakistan to engage in a year-round diplomatic, legal, and intellectual campaign to maintain the Kashmir issue on the international agenda. He pointed out that symbolic gestures alone would not suffice and stressed the importance of continuous engagement with international institutions, academia, media, civil society, and policy forums.

The former ambassador also reiterated that India’s actions on August 5, 2019, violated United Nations Security Council resolutions and did not change the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir. He mentioned that the changes in constitutional provisions and demographic restructuring had affected the political landscape of the region.

Khan noted that Pakistan has consistently raised the Kashmir issue at international forums, preventing it from fading from global attention. However, he urged for reinforced diplomatic engagement through stronger international advocacy and strategic communication.

Commenting on Pakistan’s enhanced diplomatic credibility due to successful mediation efforts, Khan suggested using this standing to redirect global attention to Kashmir. He encouraged students to study the Kashmir dispute with intellectual rigor and develop evidence-based narratives.

Khan concluded by stressing the importance of combining diplomacy, strategic communication, academic excellence, and youth leadership to keep international focus on Kashmir and support the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.