Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have said that Pakistan will continue to extend its consistent moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). They reaffirmed unwavering support for the people of IIOJK in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. They said that Pakistan firmly believes that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is rooted in the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and cannot be resolved through force or unilateral measures. They said that the situation on the ground in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remains deeply troubling.
This was stated by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in their messages on the occasion of Right to Self-Determination Day 5 January 2026.
President Asif Ali Zardari said that on 5 January, the people of Pakistan join the people of Jammu and Kashmir in commemorating Right to Self-Determination Day. This date marks the adoption of a United Nations resolution in 1949 that affirmed the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir and recognised the right of its people to determine their own future through a free and impartial plebiscite.
He said that more than seven decades later, that solemn commitment remains unfulfilled. The passage of time has neither diminished the validity of the United Nations resolutions nor weakened the legitimacy of the Kashmiri people's demand for self-determination. The continued denial of this right stands in clear contradiction to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
President Zardari said that the situation on the ground in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remains deeply troubling. Widespread restrictions on political activity and freedom of speech, prolonged detentions and the use of coercive laws have created an atmosphere of fear and impunity. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of violence, while families are displaced and livelihoods disrupted.
He said that in recent years, control over the rivers originating in Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as a grave additional challenge, with serious implications for the lives of Kashmiris and for regional stability. India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, in disregard of its binding international obligations, represents a dangerous attempt to weaponise water, threatening livelihoods, food security and peace for millions who depend on these shared resources.
He said that Pakistan firmly believes that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is rooted in the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and cannot be resolved through force or unilateral measures. Lasting peace in South Asia is possible only through dialogue and through the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, without prejudice to the recognised positions of the parties.
President Asif Ali Zardari said 'On this day, I call upon the international community, and the United Nations in particular, to move beyond expressions of concern and to play an effective role in ensuring that the Kashmiri people are able to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. Equally important is the need for credible steps to address ongoing human rights violations and to protect civilians'.
He said that Pakistan will continue to extend its consistent moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of IIOJK. We stand with them in their just and peaceful struggle for dignity, justice and a future of their own choosing, the president concluded.
Meanwhile PM Shehbaz Sharif in his message said 'Today, as we commemorate the 'Right to Self-determination Day', we solemnly reaffirm our unwavering support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. The 5th of January serves as a powerful reminder of the historic commitment made by the international community, enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions, to uphold the right to self-determination for the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that on 5 January 1949, the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) adopted the landmark resolution, which unequivocally stipulated that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, would be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations. Sadly, this commitment remains unfulfilled to this day, as the resolution has never been implemented, due to India's illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the people of IIOJK have witnessed nearly eight decades of ordeal at the hands of Indian occupation forces. Their suffering has exacerbated manifolds since 5 August 2019 when India undertook illegal and unilateral measures, as part of its systematic campaign to transform the demographic and political landscape of the IIOJK.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that India has made consistent efforts to silence the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people and muzzle the media. The number of Kashmiri political prisoners remains in thousands, while sixteen political outfits have been outlawed by occupation authorities. Meanwhile, profiling and harassment of innocent Kashmiris, arbitrary detentions, and the so-called 'cordon and search' operations have become a norm in the occupied territory.
Nevertheless, all Indian coercive measures have failed to subjugate the will of the people of IIOJK or suppress their quest for the right to self-determination. The people of Pakistan salute their indomitable courage, commitment and resilience, in the face of Indian atrocities.
The world must also recognize that a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, is the only way to achieve durable peace in South Asia.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said 'We urge the international community to urgently call upon India to halt its widespread human rights violations in IIOJK, reverse its unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019, repeal the draconian laws and give the right to self-determination to the Kashmiri people, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions'.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said 'To our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, Pakistan will continue to extend its unwavering moral, political, and diplomatic support to your cause, and will continue to serve as your voice at every available platform'.