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EDITORIAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks on Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir on the International Day of Education deserve recognition. His condemnation of human rights abuses in the valley underscores a grim reality: the Kashmiri people’s basic freedoms, including their right to education, are systematically denied.

While Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to highlight these injustices are commendable, they must be paired with tangible action at home. For Pakistan to credibly advocate for justice abroad, it must ensure its own citizens receive the education necessary for national progress.

Still, the world must realise and recognise India’s war crimes as well as crimes against humanity in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Decades of unresolved conflict, state-led violence, and systemic oppression have stifled the basic human rights of millions.

Particularly troubling are the reports of arbitrary detentions, media blackouts, and the denial of educational opportunities to the youth. Such actions not only violate international norms but also perpetuate cycles of disenfranchisement and despair.

Pakistan’s continued efforts to highlight these issues on global platforms are essential to maintaining international focus on a crisis that many powerful nations find politically convenient to ignore.

Yet, while advocating for the rights of Kashmiris, it is equally vital to reflect inwardly. As a nation, Pakistan’s own track record on education — a subject the prime minister rightly highlighted — leaves much to be desired.

The government’s renewed commitment to ensuring education for all is a step in the right direction, but it must be accompanied by actionable plans and measurable outcomes. In the modern era, an educated population is a strategic necessity for a country aspiring to economic resilience and social harmony.

Education in Pakistan has long been plagued by structural inequities, underfunding, and a lack of cohesive policy direction.

According to recent reports, over 20 million children remain out of school — almost 40 percent of children of school going age — a staggering figure that underscores the urgency of the issue.

The disparities in educational access — between urban and rural areas, and between boys and girls — are stark and call for targeted interventions. Initiatives such as building more schools, training teachers, and modernising curricula should not be delayed any further.

The linkage between education and the plight of Kashmiris is also clear. Education can empower individuals to break free from cycles of poverty and oppression, whether they are in Islamabad or Srinagar.

Moreover, a well-educated society is better equipped to advocate effectively for the rights of others on global stages. Pakistan’s advocacy for Kashmir will gain greater traction if it is backed by the credibility of a nation that invests deeply in the intellectual and social capital of its own people.

Prime Minister Sharif’s remarks serve as a timely reminder of the interplay between justice and education.

A focus on uplifting the marginalised — whether in Kashmir or within Pakistan — should remain central to national and international policy. The path forward lies in coupling principled diplomacy with robust domestic reforms, ensuring that Pakistan’s voice for justice is amplified by its own progress. That would be good for Pakistanis and Kashmiris alike.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

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