Brussels/Islamabad, (Unib Rashid) – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the country will continue to extend its diplomatic, political, and moral support to the Kashmiri people until the dispute is resolved in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and their right to self-determination.

In a special message issued on the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, observed annually on August 5, the Prime Minister said the day serves as a reminder to the international community of the consequences of India’s unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, which, he said, sought to alter the internationally recognized disputed status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions.

The Prime Minister said that seven years after those measures, they had neither changed the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir nor weakened the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Instead, he maintained, they had resulted in increased repression, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, demographic changes through legislative and administrative measures, suppression of political leadership, curbs on civil liberties, and restrictions on independent media.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif's Message on the Occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal (5th August, 2026)@ForeignOfficePk @MoIB_Official @epwing_official @PkPublicDiplo pic.twitter.com/6pGs7ocBOd

— Pakistan Embassy Belgium (@PakinBrussels) August 5, 2026

Paying tribute to the resilience of the Kashmiri people, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said their peaceful struggle for the right to self-determination continues to inspire people around the world and reflects their unwavering commitment to justice, human dignity, and the rule of international law.

He described the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as the principal unresolved issue affecting peace and stability in South Asia, emphasizing that lasting peace in the region cannot be achieved through coercion or unilateral actions. Instead, he said, a durable settlement must be reached in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The Prime Minister urged the international community to move beyond expressions of concern and play a more active role in facilitating a just and lasting resolution of the dispute. He also called on India to end what Pakistan describes as human rights violations in IIOJK, reverse the measures introduced since August 2019, repeal restrictive laws, and create an environment conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s longstanding position, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, adding that Pakistan will continue to raise the voice of the Kashmiri people at regional and international forums.

Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir is observed across Pakistan each year on August 5 to mark the anniversary of India’s revocation of the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and to express solidarity with the people of the disputed region.