City
Epaper

Pakistan rejects bifurcation of J&K as 'illegal and void'

By IANS | Updated: October 31, 2019 21:35 IST

Pakistan on Thursday rejected the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, terming the changes "illegal and void as per relevant UNSC resolutions".

Open in App

In a statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office said changing of the status quo of J&K is "in complete violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions and Bilateral Agreements between India and Pakistan, especially the Simla Agreement."

"The Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory. No step by the government of India can change this".

It said that the August 5 move by India to abrogate special status for Jammu and Kashmir was "forced upon the people" of the erstwhile state "through the barrel of gun by turning the region into a prison by over 900,000 Indian security forces".

It said that political leaders, civil society members, and common people including women and young children remain under illegal detention. "An iron curtain remains in place on more than eight million Kashmiri people snapping their communications with the outside world".

The illegal and unilateral changes effected by India are in no way an "internal matter" as the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains on the agenda of the Security Council, it added.

The statement said that the "purpose of these illegal changes is neither development of the region nor welfare of the Kashmiri people. The real motive is to alter the demographic structure of the Muslim majority state in pursuance of the extremist "Hindutva" ideology".

"The international community must take notice that transfer of civilian population from outside into Jammu and Kashmir is in grave violation of the international laws particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention".

The statement said the move "threatens to destabilize the peace, security and stability of the South Asian region as well as the world".

It demanded that India should immediately withdraw its military forces from the region, remove draconian laws, restore basic human rights of the people, free all detainees, lift all restrictions on the free movement and communications, allow unimpeded and full access to the UN and other international human rights observers, including independent foreign media. It is imperative that India implements the UN Security Council Resolutions on the right of Kashmiris to self-determination, without further prevarication.

( With inputs from IANS )

Open in App

Related Stories

CricketIND vs ENG, 1st Test: England Announce Playing XI for First Test Against India in Leeds

Other SportsChris Woakes to lead pace attack as England announce playing XI for first Test

Other SportsWCL 2025: Gayle, Pollard & Bravo lead star-studded comeback for West Indies Champions

TechnologyHere's what we know about US' PlayStation's concert series

NationalTarun Chugh salutes PM Modi for diplomatic step to help Punjabis in Canada

International Realted Stories

InternationalIndian diaspora in Croatia overjoyed after meeting PM Modi

InternationalCrisis in the Middle East

InternationalIran is a threat to regional, global peace: Israeli envoy Kobbi Shoshani

InternationalTwo dists of Nepal on alert as China warns of inundation post rain in Tibet

International"Hope...would not use this one": Senior Iranian diplomat over Munir's US visit and possibility of Pak airspace being used for operations against Iran