Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked India to revoke its August 5, 2019 decision that scrapped the occupied Jammu and Kashmir of its special status enshrined in the Indian constitution.

“Let me state in no uncertain terms that Pakistan will respond most decisively to any Indian aggression, therefore, to secure durable peace India must reverse its unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since the 5th of August 2019 and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of Kashmir people,” the premier said in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

In 2019, the ruling government of India Bharatiya Janata Party revoked occupied Kashmir’s special status by repealing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The move allowed people from the rest of the country to have the right to acquire property in occupied Kashmir and settle there permanently.

Since India’s 2019 constitutional changes, freedom fighters in Kashmir have largely been crushed.

Dissent has been criminalised, media freedoms curbed and public protests limited, in what critics say is a drastic curtailment of civil liberties by India.

The premier noted that the nuclear armed neighbour has “spurned” Pakistan’s proposals for a restrained regime and accused the Narendra Modi-led leadership of threatening to cross the Line of Control and take over Azad Jammu Kashmir.

It was Shehbaz’s second address to the UNGA as the prime minister. His first address to the UN session was during the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government in the country.

PM Shehbaz criticized India’s actions in Kashmir, emphasizing the enduring struggle of the Kashmiri people for freedom and their right to self-determination.

He highlighted the presence of 900,000 Indian troops “terrorizing” the people of Jammu and Kashmir with oppressive tactics, including prolonged curfews, extrajudicial killings, and the abduction of young Kashmiris.

The premier accused India of engaging in a settler-colonial strategy by seizing Kashmiri land and properties and settling outsiders in the region, aiming to alter the Muslim majority into a minority. “This tactic is commonly employed by all occupying powers,” he added, underscoring the gravity of the situation in Kashmir.

“It has always failed and it shall fail in Kashmir too by the grace of God.

“The Kashmiri people are resolute in the rejection of the false Indian identity. New Delhi seeks to impose upon them very severe conditions and atrocities are being committed every hour,” PM Shehbaz said.

He added that India’s policy of harsh repression has allowed the legacy of Burhan Wani to inspire millions of Kashmiris in their ongoing struggle. He noted that fueled by the legitimacy of their cause, such individuals remain resolute despite the challenges they face.

PM Shehbaz highlighted the personal stories behind the statistics of violence, stating, “Behind every statistic lies a human life, a dream deferred, and a hope shattered.”

The prime minister expressed concern over India’s significant military expansion, which he claimed is primarily directed against Pakistan. He warned that India’s military strategies include the potential for surprise attacks and limited warfare in a nuclear context.

He criticised India for disregarding Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual strategic restraint regime, and he condemned threats from Indian leadership to cross the Line of Control and seize Azad Kashmir. “Pakistan will respond decisively to any Indian aggression,” he asserted.

“Remember, illegal occupation creates a fresh hell every day in the killing fields of Palestine and the pristine valleys of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

‘Immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza

The premier demanded an “immediate” end to the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and described it as a “systematic slaughter” and “bloodshed”.

“This is not just a conflict, this is a systematic slaughter of innocent Palestinians. An assault on the very essence of human life and dignity, the blood of Gazan children stains not just the hands of the oppressors but also those complicit in prolonging this cruel conflict.”

According to PM Shehabz, humanity was “diminished” when the “endless suffering” of Palestinians was ignored.

“It is not enough to condemn … we must act now and demand an immediate end to this bloodshed. We must remember that the blood and sacrifice of innocent Palestinians will never go to waste. We must worry about their plight and difficulties and stand by them.”

The premier called for a durable peace for Palestine through a two-state solution and demanded that Palestine be “immediately” admitted as a full UN member.

The prime minister said he was expressing “the searing pain and anguish of Pakistanis at the plight of Gazans. Our heart bleeds as we witness the tragedy unfolding in the holy land. A tragedy that shakes the very consciousness of humanity and the foundation of this institution.”

‘Fears of new world order’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has warned of a “new world order” amid Israel’s war in Gaza, Ukraine conflict, resurging terrorism, poverty, and the increasing impact of climate change.

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“Today we are facing the most daunting challenges to the world order, Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, a dangerous conflict in Ukraine, destructive conflicts across Africa, Asia, rising geopolitical tensions, resurging terrorism, galloping poverty, stifling debt, and the mounting impact of climate change. We feel the chill of new world order,” the premier said.

He started his speech with Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam’s words, “We stand by the United Nations Charter and will gladly make our full contribution to peace and prosperity of the world.”

The premier claimed that the South Asian country has stood by such a commitment unwaveringly.