ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, on Saturday, welcomed the United Nations (UN)’s reiteration of its position on the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) dispute, saying the statement denies India’s position on IIOJK as its “integral part”.
In a statement with regard to the UN Secretary-General’s spokes person Stephane Dujarric remarks in a press conference reaffirming the position of the UN on the IIOJK dispute, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri stated: “Pakistan welcomes the reiteration of the position of United Nations on the IIOJK dispute by the spokesperson of the United Nations Secretary-General.”
He said that the statement reaffirms that the UN position on the IIOJK dispute is “well-established” and has not changed.
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“We particularly appreciate the timeliness of the statement as it coincides with the completion of two years of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 in the IIOJK that were in violation of the UN charter, UNSC resolutions and international law including the Fourth Geneva Convention” he added.
Chaudhri stated that the UNSC’s statement denies the self-serving remarks by India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations claiming that IIOJK is an integral part of India.
“India would do well to remind itself that IIOJK remains an internationally recognized dispute and one of the longest outstanding items on the UN Security Council’s agenda. It never was and never will be a part of India. Regurgitation of false and fabricated claims does not change the reality,” he asserted.
He pointed out that numerous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions have established that the final disposition of the State of IIOJK will be made in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite held under the UN auspices.
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“Ultimately, India will have to give in to the will of the Kashmiris and the commitment of international community as enshrined in numerous UNSC resolutions,” he added.
While speaking at a news conference in New York on August 4, UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric clarified the UN’s position on IIOJK dispute following India’s UN Ambassador TS Tirmurtihad claimed that the disputed state was now an “integral” part of India.
“Our position on Kashmir is well established and has not changed. I will leave it at that,” Dujarric stated in response to a question.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021