On September 27, 2024, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the U.N. General Assembly, urging India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370 and to engage in dialogue regarding Jammu and Kashmir. He drew parallels between the struggles of Kashmiris and Palestinians, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution. India’s government reasserted its claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the nation, while urging Pakistan to attend to its internal matters instead of focusing on Kashmir.

On September 27, 2024, during the U.N. General Assembly’s 79th session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan brought to the forefront the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. He urged India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to the region, and called for dialogue to achieve a peaceful resolution of the longstanding conflict. In his speech, lasting over 20 minutes, Prime Minister Sharif compared the struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination to that of the Palestinians, stating, “similarly, like the people of Palestine, the people of Jammu and Kashmir too, have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination.” He expressed that in order to establish lasting peace, India must retract the unilateral measures taken in August 2019 and engage in discussions that reflect the wishes of the Kashmiri population and adhere to U.N. Security Council resolutions. Despite Pakistan’s consistent highlighting of the Kashmir issue at various international platforms, it has met with limited success and support. The Indian government continues to firmly assert that Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, remains an integral and inseparable part of India, urging Pakistan to focus on its internal challenges instead of pursuing the Kashmir narrative.

The issue of Jammu and Kashmir has been a contentious point between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The region has a history of conflict and has been the subject of several wars and ongoing disputes between the two nations. In August 2019, the Indian government abrogated Article 370 of its Constitution, which had previously granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, leading to heightened tensions and a firmer stance from Pakistan on the matter. Pakistan frequently raises this issue on international platforms, but India maintains that the region is an inseparable part of the country, emphasizing the need for Pakistan to address its internal issues rather than engage in what it deems frivolous allegations against India.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the U.N. General Assembly highlights Pakistan’s persistent efforts to bring international attention to the Kashmir issue. His call for India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370 and engage in dialogue reflects Pakistan’s long-standing position on the matter. However, India’s consistent rejection of these claims and emphasis on Kashmir’s integral status demonstrates the deep-seated complexities and challenges that continue to define the India-Pakistan relationship.

Original Source: www.thehindu.com

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