Stories
Pakistan's UNGA Kashmir Strategy: From Bhutto to Shehbaz Sharif, A Consistent Narrative
- •Pakistan consistently uses the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to raise the Jammu and Kashmir issue, despite India's stance that it is an integral part of India.
- •Zulfikar Ali Bhutto pioneered Pakistan's aggressive Kashmir diplomacy at the UN, demanding a plebiscite based on UN Resolution 47 (1948) and famously vowing to "fight for a thousand years."
- •Nawaz Sharif shifted focus to international institutional intervention, framing Kashmir as a nuclear flashpoint and presenting a "four-point peace initiative" at UNGA.
- •Imran Khan's 2019 UNGA address was a hardline assault on India after Article 370 abrogation, warning of a "bloodbath" and demanding UN intervention.
- •Shehbaz Sharif continues the template, linking peace talks with India to the Kashmir issue's resolution and drawing parallels with the Palestinian crisis to garner support.
Key Questions Answered
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that water must not be weaponised for political coercion and declared that any attempt by India to block or divert Pakistan's share under the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an explicit act of war.
India firmly rejected Pakistan's statements, maintaining that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable part of India. Using the Right of Reply, Indian diplomat Petal Gehlot criticized Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism and harboring global terrorists, noting that Jammu and Kashmir's issues stem directly from Pakistan's proxy war.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, calling for a peaceful resolution through dialogue within the framework of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.
