"Enabling oppressed peoples to freely express their wishes regarding their political, economic, social and cultural destiny is a sine qua non for ending violence, promoting freedom and democracy and achieving peace and prosperity," Pakistan's UN Ambassador Munir Akram told the General Assembly's social committee.
In a major speech during the consideration of agenda item on the right of self-determination, the Pakistan ambassador stressed the need for "flexibility and boldness" to evolve a solution of the Kashmir dispute acceptable to India, Pakistan and, above all, to the people of the state.
"Such a solution can be facilitated with the demilitarisation of Jammu & Kashmir, the release of all political prisoners in Kashmir and an end to the violations of the human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir", Ambassador Akram said.
"Such violations of human rights cannot be justified by portraying the legitimate struggle of peoples for self-determination as terrorism."
"Ultimately, strategies that deny self-determination prove to be counter-productive. This is the lesson of history," he added.
Stating that no "visible" progress had resulted from the on-going Indo-Pakistan dialogue process, the Pakistan ambassador urged the international community to "play a positive role to enable the people of Jammu & Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination and to end their suffering and deprivation".
He comprehensively dealt with the Kashmir issue, setting out the background and where matters now stood as he called for an early settlement.
Ambassador Akram outlined principles of the right to self-determination, which he said must be reaffirmed. The forcible occupation of the territory of peoples whose right of self-determination had been recognised was a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.
The right to self-determination could be exercised freely only if it was done in a manner unfettered by overt and covert coercion or influence. Self-determination could not be freely exercised under foreign military occupation and repression. The right of self-determination could not be extinguished by the passage of time.
While the principles of equal rights and self-determination had been applied and exercised in most of the modern world, such rights had been prevented in some areas, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and in Palestine, he said.
The April 1948 Security Council resolution declared that "the only way to settle the Kashmir problem peacefully was to demilitarise the State and hold a plebiscite under the United Nations supervision".
Subsequent Security Council resolutions established a cease-fire, a peacekeeping mission to ensure its observance, and pronounced that the future status of Jammu and Kashmir would be decided through democratic means of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations.
He said Pakistan and India had engaged in dialogue since last year, which had led to several confidence-building measures. However, progress to achieve a just and final settlement to the dispute was not yet visible, he added.