PM hails UNSC move to discuss Kashmir
islamabad — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday welcomed the UN Security Council’s decision to discuss tensions in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a day after India slammed the rare meeting.
The prime minister said in a tweet: “I welcome the UNSC meeting to discuss the serious situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It is for the first time in over 50 yrs that the world’s highest diplomatic forum has taken up this issue,” Khan tweeted after Friday talks in New York.
“The UNSC meeting was a reaffirmation of these resolutions. Therefore addressing the suffering of the Kashmiri people and ensuring resolution of the dispute is the responsibility of this world body,” he added.
He said there were 11 UNSC resolutions reiterating the Kashmiris’ “right to self-determination”. Pakistan’s envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi said the voice of the Kashmiri people has been heard in the highest diplomatic forum in the world.
Lodhi said the people from Jammu and Kashmir may be in locked up state, but their voices were heard at the UNSC.
Lodhi said: “We stand ready for a peaceful settlement of the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir. This meeting nullifies India’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter. The whole world is discussing ....
“The fact this meeting took place is testimony that this is internationally recognised dispute, and there was also an effort to stop this meeting... This meeting confirmed the validity of UNSC resolution on the occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The meeting was not attended by India and Pakistan, and it was only open to five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.
The UNSC meeting was held on Friday after China’s insistence to hold a discussion on the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir following India’s decision to revoke its special status. —
It is for the first time in over 50 yrs that the world’s highest diplomatic forum has taken up this [Kashmir] issue Imran Khan Prime Minister