Pakistan leaders say Kashmir settlement is vital for South Asia peace

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have called for international engagement on the Kashmir dispute, saying a peaceful settlement is essential for lasting stability in South Asia. Their separate messages were issued for Kashmir Black Day, observed by Pakistan on October 27.

President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people and their right to self-determination under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. He urged the United Nations and international human-rights organisations to give sustained attention to conditions in the disputed territory.

The president expressed concern about restrictions on fundamental freedoms, arrests, militarisation and reported rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. He said Pakistan would continue raising the issue at appropriate international forums and advocating a settlement reflecting the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said the dispute had remained unresolved for 79 years and maintained that peace in South Asia could not be secured without a just resolution. He paid tribute to Kashmiris who had endured decades of conflict and reaffirmed Islamabad’s established diplomatic position on the territory.

The prime minister also raised concerns about the imprisonment of political leaders, activists and human-rights defenders. He said respect for due process, basic liberties and legitimate political expression required greater international attention, particularly following the constitutional and administrative changes introduced by India in August 2019.

Pakistan observes October 27 as Kashmir Black Day to mark the arrival of Indian forces in Srinagar in 1947. The day is used by the government to reiterate its position that the territory’s final status should be decided through a peaceful process consistent with applicable UN resolutions and the wishes of Kashmiris.

The Kashmir dispute has remained a central source of tension between Pakistan and India, both nuclear-armed neighbours. Islamabad argues that meaningful regional stability requires sustained diplomacy and international involvement, while New Delhi maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and rejects external intervention.

The latest statements do not announce a new diplomatic initiative, but they signal that Pakistan will continue presenting the dispute at international forums. Any movement towards negotiations would require engagement between Islamabad and New Delhi, measures to reduce tensions and agreement on a process acceptable to the affected population.