Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination, telling the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly that Islamabad would maintain its diplomatic, political and moral backing until that right is achieved.

Sharif said Pakistan had consistently raised the Kashmir dispute at international forums and called for a “just and fair solution” to help prevent renewed conflict in South Asia.

He also referred to the 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation, saying Pakistan had exercised its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. He praised Pakistan’s armed forces and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their response and thanked US President Donald Trump for what he described as timely intervention that helped prevent a wider war.

The prime minister said Kashmir had remained unresolved for decades, arguing that generations of Kashmiris had faced detention, killings, disappearances and other abuses. These allegations form part of Pakistan’s longstanding position on the dispute. India rejects Pakistan’s characterization of the situation and its claims over Kashmir.

Sharif also raised the Indus Waters Treaty, saying India’s decision to place the agreement in abeyance had no legal basis. He said the treaty remained valid and operational and argued that water resources should not be used as a tool of confrontation.

“Water must never be weaponized. Rivers should nourish nations, not divide them,” Sharif said, warning that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus waters would be treated as an “act of war.”

His remarks placed Kashmir, regional security and water-sharing at the centre of Pakistan’s message during the UN General Assembly debate.