UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan made an impassioned appeal to the United Nations on Monday to resolve the decades-old Kashmir dispute with India by allowing people in the valley to exercise their right to self-determination.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Masood Khan said it was regrettable that decades after adoption of UN resolutions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir remained deprived of their fundamental right.

“They continue to face widespread repression and gross and consistent violations of human rights, which have been documented by independent international human rights organisations,” he added.

“As for the exercise of the right to self-determination, Pakistan, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the United Nations agree to hold a plebiscite. Only India has to say yes; and engage with Pakistan and resolve this issue for all times to come,” Pakistani envoy added.

Mr Khan also referred to the statement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the General Assembly in which he urged the United Nations to remain attentive to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and to take steps for the full realisation of the right to self-determination of its people.

Ambassador Khan said Pakistan was the worst victim of terrorism, whose sources, strategies and execution emanated from immediate neighbourhood and demanded that all networks to destabilise Pakistan through terror be dismantled forthwith.

He said that discrimination on the basis of religion is one of the contemporary forms of racism. And that Muslims around the world have become a target of intolerance and discrimination because of the condemnable terrorist acts by some individuals and entities.

“Misperceptions have been spread about Islam, a religion that rejects racism and preaches tolerance,” he added.

Pakistan extended full support to the various international initiatives for promoting dialogue, understanding and peaceful coexistence among all religions and civilisations.