Former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Ambassador Sardar Masood Khan has said that the Kashmir issue is once again in the global spotlight, with the international community now more aware than ever of India’s duplicity and Pakistan’s principled stance.  Ambassador Masood, in an interview with a local news channel, emphasized that India has long tried to bury the Kashmir dispute through a cycle of bilateral overtures followed by unilateral aggression.

However, the world, he said, is no longer willing to look the other way.  “After India’s illegal annexation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, there was a brief decline in global attention. But President Trump’s recent interventions have reignited the debate. Kashmir is firmly back on the international radar—despite India’s consternation,” he remarked. 

Ambassador Masood warned that India’s tactics—from pushing bilateralism to erasing international commitments—are now well known and have failed. “The bilateral approach has been exposed as a mirage. It is time for the global community to realize that international mechanisms must play a role in resolving the Kashmir dispute.”  He underscored the need for Pakistan to advocate for Kashmir from a position of strength—economically, politically, and strategically.

“That is both the challenge and the opportunity,” he added.  On the issue of water security, Sardar Masood strongly condemned India’s attempts to undermine the Indus Waters Treaty. “This is not just a legal matter—it’s a question of Pakistan’s survival. India’s actions violate both international law and the treaty’s binding framework.   Pakistan should raise the matter at the United Nations Security Council and also engage China as an upper riparian state. We will not compromise on our water rights,” he asserted. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)