Pakistan condemned and rejected the Indian government's controversial decision of revoking the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and also announced that all possible 'options' will be used to counter the illegal steps. "Pakistan strongly condemns and rejects the announcements made today (Monday) by the Indian government regarding the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory," the Foreign Office stated in a press release.
It stated: "No unilateral step by the government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan." "As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps," it stated. "Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause and its political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir for realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination," the Foreign Office further stated.
The Indian government on Monday revoked the special status of occupied Kashmir and rushed through a presidential decree in a bid to fully integrating the occupied territories with the rest of the country by abolishing the Article 370 of the Indian constitution.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while reacting to the controversial move, took to Twitter and condemned the Indian government's decision.
"Pakistan condemns and rejects announcements made today by Indian government regarding Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. We intend to firmly highlight our stance in our meetings with the US delegation visiting Pakistan and with the international community at large," he stated. Qureshi further tweeted: "Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause and its political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination."
To discuss the evolving situation and give a united response to the Indian move, the government also summoned the joint sitting of the Parliament today (Tuesday).
Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, which held its emergency in-camera session on Monday with Syed Fakhar Imam in the chair, also condemned the Indian government's decision to change the special status of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Later talking to reporters along with the committee members after the meeting, Imam said that any amendment in the Indian constitution regarding the status of Jammu and Kashmir is a sheer violation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir dispute.
He said that UN Security Council resolutions 48 and 49 prohibit any such changes into status of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir territories, saying that the Indian government's decision is utter violation of these resolutions.
He said that Kashmir is a disputed territory and the future of occupied Kashmir has to be decided by the Kashmiri people through plebiscite as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions. "International community needs to take notice of India's violation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir issue," he said, adding that Pakistan expects that the permanent members of the UN Security Council and other world powers will take notice of the Indian government's illegal decision. He said that the purpose of holding special meeting of the committee was to send a message to India that Pakistan is standing with the Kashmiri people. He said the committee agreed on adopting a unanimous resolution, which will be tabled in the National Assembly to send a unanimous message to India against its illegal decision. He said that the IoK has become the most militarised region of the world with continued repression of the Kashmiri people by the Indian occupation forces. He further said that Pakistan will continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people for the just right of self-determination.
During the meeting the members from all the major political parties representing in the Parliament unanimously approved a draft resolution, conveying the complete solidarity with the Kashmiri people for their struggle and just cause.
"The committee strongly condemns India's reckless and unilateral decision which is a violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the issue, therefore, rejects the Indian actions as illegal and unjustified under the international law. The committee also understands that any irresponsible action on the Indian part would have far-reaching and grave consequences for the peace and prosperity of South Asia being nuclearised neighbours. The committee also reaffirms Pakistan's political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir for their legitimate right to self-determination as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions and calls upon the international community to urge India to refrain from undertaking any irresponsible, unilateral actions and work with Pakistan to achieve a just solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions." The Chairman also introduced Mushaal Mullik, the wife of the APHC leader and Chairman JKLF Yasin Malik who is detained in the Tehar Jail (India), to the committee. Mullik apprised the committee about the latest deploring condition of his husband in the death cell of the jail. She said her husband is moving towards a slow death, while denying any medical aid and keeping him in isolation and inhumane conditions are contrary to basic human fundamental rights.
The chairman and the committee highly appreciated the courage and bravery of all the APHC leaders particularly, Yasin Malik and his wife. The committee also demonstrated its complete solidarity with the All Party Hurriyat Conference leadership detained in different parts of India just to silence their voice for their right of self-determination through force and negative tactics.
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