Independent Report
Islamabad, January 5, 2026:
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, has called upon the United Nations to move beyond rhetoric and ensure the practical implementation of its long-standing resolutions guaranteeing the Kashmiri people their inalienable right to self-determination.
Addressing a seminar titled Friends of Kashmir at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Studies on the occasion of Right to Self-Determination Day, the AJK premier emphasized the need for a coherent, consistent, and sustained Kashmir policy. He stated that the Kashmiri freedom movement, sanctified by the sacrifices of martyrs, could never be subdued, asserting that spilled blood in just causes ultimately bears historical fruit.
Rathore drew a stark contrast between Azad Kashmir and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, describing the latter as an “open-air prison” where systematic repression, political disenfranchisement, and human rights violations persist unabated. He reiterated that the core purpose of the Azad Kashmir government, which he termed the “base camp of the freedom struggle,” is to keep the Kashmir liberation movement alive at all forums.
Highlighting regional and global parallels, he likened the suffering of Kashmiris to atrocities witnessed in Gaza, noting that global politics often aligns with brute force rather than justice. He credited Pakistan’s armed forces for effectively countering Indian aggression, stating that their deterrence capability has once again thrust the Kashmir dispute into international focus.
Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Rana Qasim Noon termed Kashmir a “noble cause” for Pakistan, reaffirming that Kashmiris possess the undeniable right to decide their own future. Speakers unanimously urged the United Nations to honor its commitments and deliver justice to the Kashmiri people.
