Every time the situation is tense in Jammu and Kashmir, without fail Pakistan starts ranting about UN Resolution of 1948, and how Kashmiris should be given the right to exercise self determination through plebiscite. Few know that the very UN resolution Pakistan swears by was out-right rejected by it since it never wanted a plebiscite or self determination for Kashmiris.

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Ever since Kashmir became a bone of contention between India and Pakistan in 1947, when Pakistan army along with tribesmen attacked Kashmir and India was called to defend it by King Hari Singh, Pakistan had been advocating for plebiscite. But it never clarifies how it is to be achieved. Over the years, Pakistan has been pretending that India didn't abide by the UN Resolution of 1948. In reality it was Pakistan that rejected the UN resolutions 47 of April 1948.

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What did UN resolution say?

India went to UN in October 1947 after Indian Army thwarted the combined forces of Pakistan army and tribesmen who attacked Kashmir to capture the valley by force.

The resolutions proposed four essential steps in sequential order.

1. According to the first step stipulated in Article 1(a) and (b), Pakistan must withdraw all its forces, including the tribesmen that had invaded the valley and then help creating a homogeneous environment for Kashmiris to express their choice through plebiscite without fear.

2. Once the first step is done, only then India would reciprocate and take steps to demilitarise the valley to certain levels. Though it allowed India to keep adequate amount of troops stationed in order to maintain law and order and to keep external threats at bay. All this is specified in articles 2(a) to (c).

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3. After the completion of first two steps, India, with its machinery would then be responsible for conducting free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

4. Various other steps were outlined in Articles 6 to 15 of the UNSC Resolution. Pakistan was to be given no role in this, since Maharaja Hari Singh had already acceded to India under the terms of the Independence Act.

Pakistan rejected this. But why?

Pakistan in April 1948 rejected the UN resolutions because it didn't suit the intentions of Pakistan. Though Pakistan played the Muslim card to legitimise its attempt the seize Kashmir by force, but it wasn't for the benefit of Kashmiris. If it were, Pakistan would have never rejected the UN resolutions which advocated for the free and fair plebiscite.

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Many defense experts believe that Pakistan never wanted Kashmiris to exercise their right to self determination, because by seizing Kashmir by force, it only wanted to achieve territorial gains. These included free access to the waters of the Indus and its tributaries and occupying strategic heights north of Punjab.

Kashmiris were never its concern. Not then, not now.

Infact, Pakistan has violated the UN Resolutions

Pakistan swears by UN Resolutions every time tension erupts in Kashmir, but it never abides by the resolutions itself. In fact, over the period of seven decades, it has openly violated the UN resolution by augmenting the strength of its troops.

Pakistan, despite knowing that the area occupied by it (POK) belongs to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, has bartered away the portion of the territory to China and has been changing the demographics of areas like Gilgit Baltistan apart from using the territory as bases to train insurgents who carry out militant activities in the valley.