Kashmir – a dispute the world can no longer ignore

Each year, October 27 – marked as Kashmir Black Day – stands as a painful reminder of a wound that has festered for over seven decades. This date symbolizes the beginning of India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, when its forces landed in Srinagar in 1947. Since then, the people of the occupied territory have endured relentless suppression, state violence, and systematic violations of their basic human rights. This year’s observance comes amid escalating regional tensions, with renewed calls from Pakistan for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with international law.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar’s message on Kashmir Black Day echoed a truth that remains as relevant today as it was 78 years ago: the Kashmir issue is not just a bilateral dispute between Pakistan and India. It is an internationally recognized conflict, with its legal foundation enshrined in multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. Those resolutions clearly affirm that the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. Yet, India has consistently flouted these resolutions and continues to impose its will on a population denied the right to self-determination.
The situation worsened dramatically after India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, when New Delhi revoked the region’s special status under Article 370 of its constitution. This move was a blatant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the 4th Geneva Convention. Since then, the occupation authorities have accelerated demographic engineering by issuing domiciles to non-residents, silenced legitimate Kashmiri leadership through arrests, and imposed draconian laws designed to crush any dissent. These policies are aimed at altering the region’s demographic composition – a strategy that has been rightly condemned by human rights organizations and global observers.
Deputy Prime Minister Dar’s statement highlighted another critical dimension of this dispute: the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and collective punishment have become grim features of everyday life in the occupied valley. Following the recent Pahalgam incident, India once again launched a sweeping crackdown, detaining thousands and demolishing homes of innocent residents. This is not law enforcement – it is collective persecution, a practice that violates every principle of human dignity and international humanitarian law.
The resilience of the Kashmiri people, however, remains unbroken. For over seven decades, they have demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Their struggle is rooted in a legitimate demand recognized by international law: the right to self-determination. Despite facing militarization, demographic manipulation, and political repression, they have refused to surrender their identity and their right to freedom. Their steadfastness serves as both an inspiration and an indictment – inspiration to all who believe in justice, and indictment of the world’s silence.
The recent flare-up of hostilities between Pakistan and India has once again underscored the stakes involved. India’s intransigence and its refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue threaten not only bilateral relations but also regional stability. South Asia, home to nearly two billion people, cannot afford the destabilizing consequences of an unresolved territorial dispute between two nuclear-armed neighbors. A peaceful resolution of Kashmir is not merely a moral imperative – it is a strategic necessity for regional and global peace.
Pakistan has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to a peaceful settlement based on the UNSC resolutions. It has also called on the international community to play its rightful role in ending the suffering of the Kashmiri people. This is not a conflict that can be wished away or silenced through brute force. The world must recognize that sustainable peace in South Asia is impossible without addressing the Kashmir dispute.
Unfortunately, global powers and international institutions have largely confined their response to muted statements and symbolic gestures, rather than taking meaningful action. This inaction emboldens the occupier and deepens the suffering of the occupied. If the same level of repression occurred elsewhere, it would have drawn global outrage. But when it happens in Kashmir, the world looks away. This double standard is not just morally indefensible – it undermines the credibility of the international system itself.
It is time for the international community, particularly the United Nations, to translate its resolutions into reality. Diplomatic pressure, monitoring of human rights violations, and active engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi are essential steps. Moreover, regional powers must understand that ignoring Kashmir will not make it disappear; it will only make the consequences of neglect more dangerous.
Pakistan’s stance – reaffirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar – reflects both moral clarity and strategic foresight. A peaceful resolution of Kashmir, through a UN-mandated plebiscite, would not only fulfill a long-standing promise to the Kashmiri people but also pave the way for a more stable and prosperous South Asia.
The world must no longer ignore the cries from the valley. Kashmir is not just a line on a map – it is the lived reality of millions who deserve the same freedoms and dignity that others around the world take for granted. Silence is complicity. The time for meaningful action is now.