Mushtaq Ahmad Butt reaffirms significance of July 19, 1947 Resolution

ISLAMABAD, Jul 18 (APP):Hurriyat Leader and Vice Chairman, Tehreek Shabab-ul-Muslimeen, Jammu and Kashmir Mushtaq Ahmad Butt has said that July 19, 1947 ‘Resolution for the Accession to Pakistan’ remains a defining milestone in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir and continues to symbolize the aspirations of many Kashmiris.

In a statement marking the anniversary of the resolution, Butt described the historic decision as an expression of the collective political will of the state’s representative Muslim leadership before the creation of Pakistan.

The resolution was adopted during a meeting held at the residence of Ghazi-e-Millat late Sardar Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, where participants unanimously endorsed accession to Pakistan.

Butt said the resolution reflected what its supporters viewed as the natural political choice for Jammu and Kashmir, based on shared religious, cultural, historical, geographical, and economic ties with Pakistan.

He emphasized that the decision was taken nearly a month before Pakistan’s independence, arguing that it demonstrated political foresight rather than a reaction to subsequent developments.

Referring to the partition of British India in 1947, Butt said Jammu and Kashmir’s Muslim-majority population, combined with its trade routes, river systems, and cultural links with territories that became Pakistan, formed the basis for the resolution.

He also highlighted the principle of self-determination under international law, citing Article 1(2) of the United Nations Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 47 (1948), which calls for the future status of Jammu and Kashmir to be determined in accordance with the will of its people.

According to Butt, the July 19 resolution represents an early political expression of those aspirations. The Hurriyat leader further argued that developments following October 27, 1947, transformed the Kashmir issue into an international dispute. He alleged that decades of conflict, political repression, human rights violations, detentions, and demographic changes have reinforced demands among many Kashmiris for the right to determine their political future.

Describing the anniversary as more than a historical commemoration, Butt said July 19 serves as a day to renew commitment to the political cause, honor those who have lost their lives during the conflict, and reaffirm what he called the enduring national consciousness of the Kashmiri people.

Butt said the resolution continues to hold political and historical significance for its supporters, who regard it as a lasting declaration of identity, collective will, and the aspiration for self-determination.