Pakistan warns India against further illegal steps in IIOJK
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan yesterday warned India against carrying further illegal actions in held Kashmir after the unlawful merger into the union territory.
Pakistan reiterated its firm opposition to Indian illegal actions in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “We have noted with serious concern reports indicating that India might be plotting further division, bifurcation and demographic changes in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to perpetuate its illegal occupation,” Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said. He added: “No new instrument of occupation shall have any legal effect. India cannot change the disputed status of IIOJK, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions, nor can it force Kashmiris and Pakistan to accept illegal outcomes.”
India’s unilateral and illegal actions in IIOJK remain violative of international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, he said.
The IIOJK, he said, is an internationally recognized disputed territory and Pakistan will continue to resolutely oppose Indian attempts to change the demographic structure and final status of IIOJK.
“We urge India to halt and reverse its unlawful and destabilizing actions, ensure full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions, and refrain from any further steps that might imperil the regional peace and security in South Asia,” the spokesperson said.
Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan was ready to restart talks with arch-rival India if New Delhi provides a roadmap towards restoring the previous status of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. In August 2019, India withdrew occupied Kashmir’s autonomy in order to tighten its grip over the territory, sparking outrage in Pakistan, the downgrading of diplomatic ties and suspension of bilateral trade.
“If there is a roadmap, then, yes, we will talk.” PM Khan said in an interview. Previously, PM Khan and his government have held that India would have to first reverse its 2019 steps for any normalisation process to begin.
“Even if they give us a roadmap, that these are the steps that we will take to basically undo what they did, which is illegal, against international law and United Nations resolutions… then that is acceptable,” the premier said. Kashmir has been a flashpoint since India and Pakistan gained independence from British rule in 1947, and they have fought two wars over the region.
FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan “calls upon the international community, including the United Nations, world parliaments, international human rights and humanitarian organizations and global media to take immediate cognizance of the situation. India must be stopped from any further illegal action in the occupied territory.” For its part, he said, “Pakistan remains firm in its commitment to provide all possible support to the people of IIOJK for realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.”
Article source: https://nation.com.pk/08-Jun-2021/pakistan-warns-india-against-further-illegal-steps-in-iiojk