Pakistan PM Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Raises Kashmir, Palestine and Water Security at UN

NEW YORK — Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, called for renewed international attention to the disputes and security challenges affecting South Asia and the wider Middle East.

Kashmir and the call for a just solution

On Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that lasting peace in South Asia requires a “just and fair solution” to the Kashmir dispute. He said the Kashmiri people have waited for decades for the United Nations to fulfil what Pakistan describes as its commitment to a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. Pakistan has consistently raised the Kashmir issue at international forums and continues to call for a settlement based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Water security and the Indus Waters Treaty

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also addressed water security, describing the shared waters of the Indus River system as vital to Pakistan and the wider region. He rejected India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, arguing that the treaty remains legally binding. Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that the agreement cannot be unilaterally suspended.

“Water must never be weaponized,” the prime minister said, warning that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters would be treated by Pakistan as an “act of war.”

Palestine and the two-state solution

Turning to Palestine, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the suffering of Palestinian civilians, particularly children, and referred to the deaths of Palestinian children including Hind Rajab and Wafaa Akilah. He condemned Israeli military actions and said Pakistan supports the establishment of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Pakistan has continued to support a two-state solution publicly and has called for the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.

The prime minister also condemned what he described as continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon and Syria, calling for an end to the hostilities.

Terrorism and Afghanistan

Addressing terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled Pakistan’s long-running counter-terrorism efforts and the sacrifices of Pakistani civilians and security personnel. He said Pakistan continues to face attacks by groups that, according to Islamabad, operate from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.

He called on the Afghan authorities to take what Pakistan described as “verifiable decisive action” to prevent Afghan territory from being used against Pakistan or other countries. At the same time, he stressed that the fundamental rights of the Afghan people, particularly women and girls, must be respected.

UN peacekeeping commitment

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded this part of his address by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to UN peacekeeping, highlighting the decades-long participation of Pakistani military and civilian personnel in UN missions around the world.