Letter to PM: Make Kashmir Count at BRICS Summit

Honourable Prime Minister,

With the highest respect, I submit that forthcoming BRICS summit in India, scheduled for September 12–13, 2026, presents an important occasion for Pakistan to renew international attention on the unresolved question of Jammu and Kashmir and on the human rights situation facing Kashmiris under Indian administration.

Given Pakistan’s recently elevated diplomatic and military profile, this is an opportune moment to press the case against what Pakistan characterizes as ongoing persecution of Muslims in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and to challenge what it views as the mislabelling of legitimate political grievance as terrorism.

The BRICS forum offers Pakistan a chance to engage key partners — including China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia — on the urgency of addressing the dispute and the human rights concerns reported from IIOJK, and on the risks of leaving the conflict unresolved.

Kashmir: A Question of International Peace, Human Rights and the UN Charter

The question of Jammu and Kashmir cannot simply be treated as an internal matter. It has historically come before the United Nations Security Council and remains tied to a series of UN resolutions and mechanisms.

The right of a people under occupation or colonial rule to pursue self-determination is rooted in the UN Charter and elaborated in subsequent UN General Assembly resolutions:

UN Charter, Articles 1(2) and 55 — establish respect for the equal rights and self-determination of peoples as a founding purpose of the United Nations.
UNGA Resolution 1514 (1960), the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, holds that subjugation and exploitation of peoples denies fundamental human rights.
UNGA Resolution 2625 (1970), the Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations, affirms that peoples resisting forcible denial of self-determination are entitled to seek and receive support consistent with the UN Charter.
UNGA Resolution 3314 (1974), the Definition of Aggression, protects the right of peoples under colonial, racist or alien regimes to struggle for self-determination and to seek support.
UNGA Resolution 37/43 (1982) reaffirms the legitimacy of peoples’ struggle for independence and liberation from foreign occupation “by all available means, including armed struggle.”

Pakistan should continue to argue that the people of Jammu and Kashmir possess the right to determine their political future in accordance with these principles, and that such struggle should not be conflated with terrorism.

Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir — including Resolutions 47 (1948), 80 (1950) and 98 (1952) — along with the continuing presence of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), underline the dispute’s international, rather than purely bilateral, character. Pakistan should reject characterizations that erase this history.

The Mischaracterization of the Kashmiri Struggle

Pakistan should continue to challenge attempts to portray every expression of Kashmiri political aspiration as terrorism. A clear distinction must be maintained between terrorism — which should be condemned in all its forms — and the internationally recognized right of peoples to pursue political aspirations under international law.

Pakistan should urge the international community not to let counter-terrorism language be used to silence legitimate grievance, suppress dissent, or block scrutiny of alleged human rights violations, and should argue that India should not be permitted to use “terrorism” as a blanket shield against such scrutiny.

The Case for International Scrutiny of Human Rights Violations

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued its first report on Kashmir in 2018, raising concerns and calling for further investigation into alleged violations.^[1] This report should remain central to Pakistan’s diplomatic presentation.

Pakistan should call for allegations of unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and restrictions on fundamental freedoms to be independently and impartially examined, on the principle that no state should be beyond accountability where credible allegations of grave violations arise.

Specifically, Pakistan should call for:

An independent, impartial and internationally credible investigation into alleged human rights violations in IIOJK;
Meaningful access for UN human rights mechanisms and international observers;
Accountability for individuals found responsible, through due process; and
Consideration of appropriate international accountability mechanisms where evidence and law warrant it.

No Double Standards on Terrorism or Human Rights

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has argued that terrorism must be condemned as a matter of principle, without double standards. Pakistan should respond that the same consistency should apply to human rights, the rule of law, and accountability — that the world cannot speak with one voice against terrorism while staying silent on unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, collective punishment and the suppression of political rights.

The Pahalgam Incident and the Call for an Independent Investigation

Pakistan should reiterate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s position on the April 2025 Pahalgam incident: that Pakistan remains open to participating in a neutral, transparent and credible international investigation, and that the “perpetual blame game” should end.

Pakistan should press the question directly: if India is confident in its allegations, why resist an independent, internationally credible inquiry? Accountability, Pakistan should argue, cannot be applied selectively.

Kashmir and the Risk to Regional Peace

The unresolved Kashmir dispute remains a flashpoint between two nuclear-armed states, with implications for peace and security well beyond South Asia. Pakistan should argue that continued inaction allows the dispute to deepen rather than resolving it, and that a just settlement is essential to lasting regional stability.

Suggested Diplomatic Objectives

Challenge the use of “terrorism” to delegitimize the Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
Reaffirm the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to self-determination under the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.
Highlight human rights concerns in IIOJK documented by international mechanisms and call for independent scrutiny.
Demand accountability for grave violations, supporting international legal mechanisms where warranted.
Call for unrestricted, credible investigation into human rights allegations.
Challenge double standards in the global application of counter-terrorism and human rights principles.
Reiterate Pakistan’s offer of a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam incident and call on India to accept impartial fact-finding.
Warn of the risks posed by the unresolved dispute between two nuclear-armed neighbours.

A Diplomatic Opportunity

The BRICS summit, together with the opening of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 8, 2026, offers Pakistan an opportunity to raise the Kashmir issue on the world stage. The letter argues that Pakistan’s position should rest on consistency, no double standards on terrorism, human rights, international law, accountability, or the right of peoples to determine their future, and calls on the government to press this case clearly at the available diplomatic forums.