August 8, 2024: The United Nations has reiterated its stance that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved peacefully in line with the United Nations Charter, while emphasizing the importance of respecting human rights, reported the Dailyecelsior News.Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, highlighted the Simla Agreement of 1972 between India and Pakistan as a crucial element in the resolution process.
“The Secretary-General recalls the 1972 agreement on bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, also known as the Simla Agreement,” Haq stated during a daily UN briefing. The agreement, reached between Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto following the Bangladesh War of Independence, established that disputes between the two nations, including the Kashmir issue, should be resolved bilaterally without third-party involvement.
Haq was responding to a question posed by a Palestinian journalist, who questioned the UN’s silence on alleged atrocities in Kashmir following India’s abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. The article had granted special status to the region.
Haq reaffirmed that the UN’s position on Kashmir is governed by the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 47, adopted on April 21, 1948. This resolution called for Pakistan to withdraw its forces from Jammu and Kashmir and to halt further military or material support to the region.
While Pakistan frequently cites this resolution to advocate for a plebiscite in Kashmir, India argues that Pakistan’s non-compliance with the resolution’s terms invalidates this demand. India maintains that the people of Kashmir have expressed their will through participation in democratic elections.
