By Abdul Basit Alvi

Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmiri people is deeply embedded in its political, ideological, and moral foundations, dating back to Partition and remaining central to its national identity. Kashmir is regarded not as a narrow territorial dispute but as a principled struggle grounded in international law, United Nations resolutions, shared history, self-determination, and concerns over human rights violations. This unresolved issue lies at the core of Pakistan–India relations, having driven wars, repeated military crises, and long-term regional instability, while continuing to shape Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities, security outlook, and the broader prospects for peace and development in South Asia. The depth of this commitment is reflected in decades of sacrifice by the state, its armed forces, and its people, rooted in a sense of shared destiny, religious and cultural kinship, and a belief in justice that goes beyond strategic calculation.

This enduring stance was recently reaffirmed on Kashmir Solidarity Day by the Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, during his visit to Muzaffarabad, where his presence symbolized both remembrance and resolve. Through tributes to martyrs and engagements with local leadership, veterans, and civil society, he reiterated Pakistan’s unconditional, non-negotiable, and permanent support for the Kashmiri right to self-determination. Field Marshal Munir emphasized that sustained repression, human rights abuses, and demographic changes imposed by Indian authorities have failed to weaken Kashmiri resolve, instead reinforcing the legitimacy of their struggle in the eyes of the world. His remarks underscored that Pakistan’s political, moral, and diplomatic backing for Kashmir remains steadfast, transcending changing international circumstances and continuing as a defining element of national policy and conscience.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, speaking with the authority vested in him by his office and echoing the unanimous sentiment of the nation’s institutional and popular will, provided a detailed and forward-looking assurance that Pakistan’s diplomatic and legal campaign to highlight the Kashmir issue will continue with enhanced vigor and strategic sophistication across all relevant multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international fora, until a resolution is achieved that is just not in a nominal sense, but also durable and reflective of the freely expressed will of the Kashmiri populace as originally mandated. He reiterated the foundational Pakistani position that the dispute must be settled in strict accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which provide an unambiguous framework for a plebiscite, and through the prism of contemporary human rights law, which condemns the ongoing atrocities in the occupied territory. Expressing a confidence that was both philosophical and strategic, he prognosticated that the dawn of freedom for Kashmir is an inevitable historical outcome, a belief anchored in the justice of the cause, the resilience of the people, and the unflagging support of the Pakistani state, a belief shared collectively by the country’s elected leadership, its military institution, and its vast populace who see in Kashmir’s future the completion of a journey begun in 1947.

Furthermore, during his comprehensive tour, the Army Chief undertook a thorough review of the operational preparedness and morale of the troops stationed in a state of constant vigilance along one of the world’s most militarized and volatile frontiers, the Line of Control, commending in the highest terms their exceptional standards of professionalism, their unwavering discipline, and their steadfast readiness to respond to any contingency despite the daily challenges of terrain, weather, and the persistent threat of unprovoked firing and infiltration attempts from the opposite side. He noted, with the insight of a seasoned commander, that the troops perform their duty under conditions of extreme duress and latent hostility, yet maintain a level of morale and operational efficiency that stands as a bulwark of national defense and a symbol of reassurance to the Kashmiri people on the Pakistani side of the divide. He underscored the critical imperative of maintaining this peak state of readiness, emphasizing that vigilance, technological adaptation, and seamless inter-service coordination are not optional but essential components of a credible deterrent posture, necessary to safeguard national sovereignty and contribute to regional stability by preventing any adventurism from escalating into a wider conflict.

In his culminating remarks, Field Marshal Munir returned to the central theme of indivisible solidarity, issuing a final, resonant reaffirmation of Pakistan’s complete and unqualified unity with the Kashmiri people, declaring in terms that were both a promise and a prophecy that this support is a permanent feature of the national landscape, immutable and non-negotiable, and will remain so until the final curtain falls on the tragedy of occupation and the Kashmiri people are able to exercise their sovereign choice in an atmosphere of freedom and without coercion. This articulation, carrying the full weight of the military establishment’s commitment, was received not as a standalone statement but as the latest and most powerful iteration of a consistent national chorus, a voice that Kashmiris have come to recognize as their most reliable and potent amplifier on a global stage often marked by indifference or strategic calculation. The sincerity embedded in this prolonged and costly commitment, demonstrated through decades of diplomatic effort, humanitarian support, and military sacrifice, has forged a trust and a bond that is perhaps Pakistan’s most significant strategic asset in relation to the dispute, winning the heartfelt allegiance of Kashmiris who see in Pakistan not just a supporter, but a custodian of their hopes and a co-sharer in their destiny

Thus, this enduring and repeatedly reaffirmed stance continues to fortify the conviction among all stakeholders in Pakistan and within the Kashmiri resistance that the trajectory of history, though arduous and painful, bends toward justice. The continued oppression, rather than extinguishing the flame of freedom, has only oxygenized the movement and validated the moral and legal foundations of the struggle. With an abiding faith that is rooted in both principle and a perception of historical inevitability, Pakistan persists in its stance, shoulder to shoulder with the Kashmiri people, operating on the firm belief that the day will arrive when the chains of occupation are shattered, when justice descends upon the verdant valleys of Kashmir, and when the flag of self-determination flies over Srinagar, marking not merely a political victory but the triumphant validation of a struggle for identity, dignity, and the fundamental right to chart one’s own destiny—a destiny that, in the hearts and aspirations of countless Kashmiris, remains inextricably and finally linked to their ultimate accession to Pakistan.