Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif Revives Kashmir Issue At UNGA, Advocates For Dialogue Resumption

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly, yet again raking up the Kashmir issue and urging India to engage in dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the longstanding dispute.

Let me categorically say that Pakistan will respond the most resolutely to any Indian aggression. Durable peace, therefore has to be achieved by India by not only withdrawing its unilateral and illegal measures taken since 5th August, 2019 but by entering into a dialogue for the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he asserted.

Sharif accused India of having “considerably increased its military capabilities mainly for use against Pakistan.” He further said, “It has been indulging in massive expansion of its military capabilities, which are essentially deployed against Pakistan. Its war doctrines envisage a surprise attack and a limited war under the nuclear overhang. Thoughtlessly, India spurned Pakistan’s proposals for mutual strategic restraint.”

Sharif referred to the abrogation of Article 370 and alleged that India has taken unilateral illegal actions since August 5, 2019. “Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions mandate the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination.”. Since the unilateral illegal measures by India on 5th August 2019 to enforce what the Indian leadership sincerely called a final solution for Jammu and Kashmir, he asserted.

India has wanted normal bilateral relations with Pakistan since the Pulwama attack in 2019 and, there too, it has stressed the need for a conducive environment free from terrorism. In fact, India has consistently raised concerns with respect to Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism, as well as continued saying that “terror and talks cannot go together.” India will be reacting to the address given by Pakistan at UNGA.