UN-supervised plebiscite only viable solution to Kashmir dispute: Experts
Washington: Leading Kashmiri and global scholars have reiterated that a United Nations-supervised plebiscite remains the only just solution to the Kashmir dispute, as outlined in the UN resolutions of January 5, 1949.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Dr. Imtiaz Khan, a Kashmiri-American scholar, emphasized that the unresolved Kashmir conflict, situated in the most militarized region in the world, threatens global peace due to the involvement of three nuclear-armed nations. He highlighted the UN’s failure to implement its resolutions and criticized the international community’s negligence toward the plight of Kashmiris enduring Indian oppression.
“India’s oppressive measures and disregard for international guarantees must end,” Dr. Khan stated. “The only way forward is a plebiscite under UN supervision, as any farcical elections in the region cannot dupe the global community.”
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman of the World Forum for Peace and Justice, cited UN resolutions affirming Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He warned that the denial of this right has led to ongoing violence, destruction, and the threat of genocide in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the UN Security Council to address the issue promptly to avert a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan.
Dr. Ghulam N. Mir, President of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, stressed that lasting peace in South Asia hinges on resolving the Kashmir issue. He accused India of defying UN resolutions and called for international action to ensure a free and fair referendum for Kashmiris.
Sardar Zarif Khan, Advisor to the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, reminded the global community that Kashmiris were assured the right to decide their future but continue to be denied this promise.
Other speakers, including Sardar Shoaib Irshad and Sardar Zubair Khan of the Kashmir American Welfare Association (KAWA), appealed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to appoint a special envoy to assess the situation in Kashmir and report findings to the Security Council.
The experts collectively called for immediate international intervention to uphold justice and avert further suffering in the region.
