At UN, Pakistan spotlights struggle of Kashmiris, Palestinians for self-determination.

Pakistan highlighted the struggle of peoples in occupied Palestine and Kashmir for their right of self-determination at an event organized by Russia, South Africa and Vietnam on Friday to mark the 60th anniversary of the landmark UN Declaration on Decolonization.

The commemorative meeting, held on the sidelines of the 75th session of UN General Assembly, was attended by nearly 100 member states.

Adopted by the General Assembly on 14 December 1960, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, called for the immediate cessation of "all armed action or repressive measures of all kinds directed against dependent peoples" to enable them to exercise peacefully and freely their freedom of choice.

"Today, this declaration has become an epitome of freedom struggle from colonial oppression, alien domination and foreign occupation," Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the meeting.

But sixty years on, he said millions of people in the "non-governing territories" and under occupation in Palestine, Kashmir as well as other situations continue to yearn for their inalienable right to self-determination.

"The ongoing oppression of Kashmiris for the last seven decades. especially since 5 August 2019, is regrettable, illegal and in violation of the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and international law," Aamir Khan said, noting that the UN and its various bodies had frequently denounced these measures and policies.

"The use of brute force - including naked military...

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