Kashmir at crossroads Self-determination & HR violations in IIOJK

THE Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains one of the oldest unresolved international conflicts on the agenda of the United Nations. At its core, the dispute is political in nature and therefore requires a political solution grounded in the aspirations and wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolutions of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949, clearly recognized the right of the Kashmiri people to determine their future through a free and impartial plebiscite. These resolutions established the principle that the people of Jammu and Kashmir possess the legitimate right to self-determination, a principle that also lies at the heart of the UN Charter and modern international law. The right of self-determination is universally acknowledged as a fundamental human right. It empowers nations and communities to freely decide their political status and future without coercion, discrimination or foreign domination. If this principle applies globally, there is no legal or moral justification for denying the same right to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Despite initially accepting the UNCIP resolutions, India has consistently avoided their implementation for more than seven decades. This prolonged denial of political rights has generated widespread frustration, alienation and unrest among the Kashmiri people. The roots of resistance in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) lie in decades of political disenfranchisement, suppression of civil liberties, economic marginalization and denial of promised autonomy under Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution. The popular uprising that intensified in 1989–1990 was not merely a political reaction but also a manifestation of deep resentment against prolonged occupation and oppressive governance. The slogan of “Azadi” (freedom) emerged as the collective expression of Kashmiri aspirations for dignity, justice and self-determination. India responded to th