ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asserted that the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, as recognized internationally, remains unchanged despite any rhetoric. He emphasized that the rights of its people, as enshrined in international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, cannot be denied.

According to Radio Pakistan, Prime Minister Sharif, in a statement on the social media platform X, highlighted the ongoing military presence in the region and described laws he views as draconian, which he claims are part of India’s efforts to alter the Muslim-majority demographics of the territory. He also pointed to systematic attempts to silence the Kashmiri people and erase their identity.

The Prime Minister criticized claims of development in the region, arguing that they cannot replace the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination through a plebiscite, as mandated by the United Nations. Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri struggle and urged India to reverse what he described as illegal measures, cease human rights violations, and create conditions for a peaceful resolution in line with the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.