The story of Jammu and Kashmir is written in sacrifice, struggle and an unending quest for justice.
For decades, the valley has stood as a living symbol of resistance against occupation and the denial of self-determination. The Kashmiri people, despite relentless repression, con-tinue to raise the banner of freedom — their resolve echoing across mountains and borders alike. What began as a betrayal of promises under the Partition Plan has endured as one of the longest-standing disputes on the global conscience.
The tragedy took its roots in 1947, when Indian forces entered Srinagar under the pretext of a forged Instrument of Accession. That act violated both the spirit and the letter of the Partition Plan, which required princely states to decide their future according to their people’s wishes. The Muslim-majority State of Jammu and Kashmir naturally inclined toward Pakistan, yet Maharaja Hari Singh defied both logic and legality by seeking Indian military help against his own rebelling subjects. India fabricated a document of accession that was never ratified by any legitimate authority. Thus, India’s presence in Kashmir since then stands as a continuing violation of international law and human conscience. Recognizing the gravity of the issue, the United Nations passed several resolutions upholding the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. Resolution 47 of 1948 remains central, calling for a UN-supervised plebiscite. Yet for more than seven decades, India has defied these obliga-tions, tightening its grip through repression and constitutional subversion, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Today, the valley stands among the most milita-rized zones on earth — where silence itself carries the sound of fear and grief. After August 5, 2019, India dismantled the entire structure of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir, splitting it into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. This un-ilateral act ignited unrest in both Ladakh and Kargil. The Buddhist-majority Leh initially welcomed the move, expecting development, but soon realized that direct rule from New Delhi brought loss of land rights and local authority. In contrast, the Shia-majority Kargil openly rejected the reorganization, demanding restoration of statehood and constitutional sa-feguards. Recent protests in both Leh and Kargil reveal that the August 2019 decision has alienated every community, turning the region into a laboratory of control rather than a model of progress.
Since its inception, Pakistan has stood as the moral and political advocate of the Kashmiri cause — a stance that transcends governments and ideologies. From Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s declaration at the United Nations that “we will wage a thousand-year war for Kash-mir,” to the diplomatic efforts of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the principled position of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s leadership has consistently supported the right of self-determination. The present military command, under Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has reaffirmed that Pakistan’s bond with Kashmir is not political but civilizational — rooted in faith, history and humanity. His firm statements against Indian aggression echo the collec-tive resolve of the Pakistani nation: the sacrifices of Kashmiris will never be forgotten. India’s recent actions — expanding military operations, manipulating demography, silencing journalists and imprisoning leaders such as Yasin Malik and Shabbir Shah — expose its dis-regard for human rights and international law. Yet, despite all repression, the will of the Kashmiri people remains unbroken. A new generation, born under occupation, continues to raise its voice for freedom with unmatched courage and conviction. The responsibility now rests with the international community — especially the United Na-tions and major powers — to fulfill their moral and legal commitments. The selective silence of the global system, which reacts swiftly elsewhere but ignores Kashmir, undermines the credibility of universal justice. Human rights cannot be confined by geography; to ignore Kashmir is to deny humanity itself. As the world reflects on yet another year of unfulfilled promises, the message from the val-leys and mountains remains unchanged: Kashmiris have not surrendered, their struggle has not faded and their faith in justice endures. Black flags continue to rise, streets fall silent in mourning and hearts echo a single demand — Azadi.
Kashmir is not a territorial dispute but a moral question that defines the conscience of hu-mankind. The day justice prevails in the valley will mark the dawn of peace between South Asia’s two nuclear neighbors. Until then, every commemoration of Kashmir Black Day will remind the world of an unhealed wound — and of a people who refuse to be forgotten.
—The writer is a Supreme Court lawyer and former member & Chairman Standing Committee of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council. Islamabad
