KUALA LUMPUR - Pakistan has reiterated its call for a referendum in Kashmir, with its high commissioner to Malaysia Syed Ahsan Raza Shah saying that the country would respect the will of the Kashmiris, even if they choose to align with India.
He stressed Pakistan’s stance, which he claimed aligned with a resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 1948.
"Let’s have a vote in Kashmir. If the majority wants to join India, we will wholeheartedly accept that. Similarly, if the people of Kashmir want to join Pakistan, we will honor that decision.
"This is not just a promise by Pakistan but a commitment made by the international community through the UNSC," he said in a press conference.
The Kashmir conflict traces its roots to the partition of British India in 1947, which led to the creation of India and Pakistan.
The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, with a predominantly Muslim population but ruled by a Hindu monarch, became a contentious issue.
In October 1947, the monarch chose to accede to India, prompting a rebellion by the Kashmiri population and military interventions by both India and Pakistan.
The conflict was taken to the United Nations, where a resolution was passed in 1948, calling for a plebiscite to determine the region's future.
However, the plebiscite has yet to take place and the region remained a flashpoint for conflict.
"Eighty years later, this right has not been given to the people of Kashmir. This is about the fundamental right of self-determination for a divided people.
"The Kashmir dispute is not just about land; it’s about the people. Families have been divided for eight decades, unable to reunite," he said.
Syed Ahsan drew parallels with other successful referendums, such as the one in Timor-Leste, which led to its independence in 2002.
He said it was not unprecedented as referendums have taken place in various parts of the world.
"It is just the will of the international community to fulfill promises," he said.
The Pakistani envoy suggested that the delay in holding the referendum was due to India’s reluctance, claiming that it feared the potential outcome.
He added that they knew what the result will be which was why the referendum has been avoided.