Islamabad rejects New Delhi’s claim on Kashmir

'Extreme pain and anguish in Pakistan on the brutalities being committed against unarmed, innocent Kashmiri people'


Our Correspondent July 23, 2016
Indian police clash with Kashmiri protestors in Srinagar. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday categorically rejected India’s claim that Indian Kashmir is an integral part of the latter.

“Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed state as per UN Security Council resolutions,” a Foreign Office statement said. “India has denied the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Kashmir their right to self-determination that its founding fathers had pledged at the august forum of the UNSC and is enshrined in its resolutions.”

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“There is extreme pain and anguish in Pakistan on the brutalities being committed against the unarmed and innocent Kashmiri people, who are only exercising their right to peaceful protest. Unfortunately, the Indian response in IOK is an outrageous violation of international human rights and humanitarian laws, as well as UNSC resolutions,” the statement added.

“India claims to be a democracy, but has blocked all public speech, mobile phones, internet, cable TV and print and social media in IOK. Strict curfew remains in place in most parts of IOK.

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Kashmiris in IOK are facing the worst form of state terrorism at the hands of Indian occupation forces. Innocent civilians including women, children and elderly are facing terrible atrocities, but are standing up to this reprehensible repression,” the FO said.

It added that India must permit the holding of a free, fair and impartial plebiscite to ascertain the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2016.

COMMENTS (8)

Mian Maqbool Hussain | 7 years ago | Reply Think about it from a pragmatic point of view. India cannot deny the aspirations of Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir forever. The majority never consider themselves Indian and are more aligned with Pakistan geographically, racially, culturally and religiously. The British and the Indians may have cheated the Kashmiris in 1947 but everyone knows that even 750 000 Indian soldiers will not be able to hold onto occupied Kashmir forever. On the other hand, people in Pakistani Azad Kashmir sign up to join the military to liberate their brothers and sisters. It’s just a matter of time so why doesn’t India just admit the obvious and make peace with the people there and allow them to determine their own future in accordance with UN resolutions which call for a referendum?
Dervaish Khan | 7 years ago | Reply India is stupid to hold on to Kashmir which is a major source of inspiration for all the separatist movements across its map. Not strange if someday all rise up in a synchronized way and break it into fragments.
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