Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have called on the international community to exert pressure on India to allow the people of Kashmir to freely determine their own future, highlighting the importance of this issue for lasting peace in South Asia.

According to a statement by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, President Zardari emphasized, in his message on Kashmir Solidarity Day, that this occasion serves as a reminder of the global community’s responsibility toward the Kashmiri people. He urged the United Nations to fulfill promises made to the Kashmiris 78 years ago and to back their right to self-determination.

Prime Minister Sharif echoed these sentiments, underscoring that the right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law. He lamented that the Kashmiri people have been denied this right for the past seventy-eight years. Sharif pledged Pakistan’s continued moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmiri cause until this right is realized.

In a related development, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, alongside the Service Chiefs and Pakistan Armed Forces, reaffirmed their steadfast support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their quest for self-determination.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement condemning the ongoing human rights violations in the region. These actions, the statement noted, highlight India’s disregard for international law and fundamental human rights.