Kashmir debate at UNSC 'another diplomatic success' for Pakistan: FM Qureshi

Never before has the dispute been debated upon thrice in a year, says Qureshi

The discussion of the Kashmir dispute at the United Nations Security Council meeting is another diplomatic success for Pakistan, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday.

Never before has the dispute has been debated upon at the UNSC for the third time in one year, according to Qureshi, who apprised that the recent debate was held on August 5 - the anniversary of India's illegal and unilateral steps on status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

In a statement, Qureshi said that he had written a letter to the UNSC president informing him that the human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) has fast been deteriorating, and the issue needs to be debated by the council.

He was thankful that the issue was not only included in the UNSC's meeting agenda within 72 hours of his request but was also debated at length. According to Qureshi, 14 out the 15 members of the council participated in the debate. India tried its best to prevent the debate but failed, said Qureshi. Indian attempts to lay the impression that Kashmir is India's internal matter or a bilateral issue also failed, he added.

On August 5, 2019, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government struck down Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution, thereby scrapping the law that granted Kashmir its special status. IIOJ&K was placed under a lockdown thereafter with increased troops in the already heavily militarised region.

A few months later, the right-wing Indian government of Narendra Modi instituted a controversial domicile law in the occupied valley. The certificate, a sort of citizenship right, entitles a person to residency and government jobs in the region, which till last year was reserved only for the local population.

Yesterday, on the one-year anniversary of India's steps in IIOJ&K, Youm-e-Istehsal was observed across Pakistan with rallies and demonstrations held in protest and solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Qureshi thanked the country for their efforts on Wednesday to commemorate the day.