Pakistan welcomes UN's 'unchanged' stance on Kashmir

Pakistan has welcomed the statement by the spokesperson of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, reaffirming the United Nations' position on the Kashmir dispute.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the UN’s remarks reaffirm that its position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is “well-established and has not changed”.

The FO spokesperson said Pakistan particularly appreciates the timeliness of the statement, as it coincides with the completion of two years of India's illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, in occupied Kashmir.

Read Pakistan rejects India’s 'self-serving' comments on AJK elections

On Aug 5, 2019, India revoked the special status of occupied Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 of the Indian constitution. The move made Kashmir a union territory, ending its autonomy.

Referring to actions by New Delhi, the FO spokesperson said India violated the UN Charter, UN Security Council resolutions, and international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, by changing Kashmir's status.

The spokesperson also said the statement denies the self-serving remarks by India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations claiming that the Jammu and Kashmir region is an integral part of India.

Letter to UN

On Wednesday, to mark the completion of two years of India’s annexation of occupied Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a letter to the UN urged it to play its role in upholding the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

Qureshi had drawn the UN chief's attention to the "blatant measures" taken by India on August 5, 2019, to consolidate its occupation of the disputed territory that was followed by additional unlawful steps.

According to Qureshi, “These additional steps include illegal changes to the demographic structure and electoral boundaries in the occupied territory which are aimed at further marginalisation of Kashmiri Muslims to suppress their demand for freedom from Indian occupation and repression”.

FM Qureshi had said that Pakistan has categorically rejected all unilateral measures of India in Kashmir, including the end to its autonomy on August 5. He had said Pakistan would also categorically reject “any further unlawful steps that may be imposed in the future”.