Pakistan on Thursday dismissed as ‘inconsequential’ the recent Indian move asking a United Nations observer group on Kashmir to vacate a government provided premises in New Delhi.
“Asking the UN Observers to move out of a building or payment of rent is inconsequential in the context of the status of Jammu and Kashmir,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at a weekly news briefing.
“Asking them to move out of the building does not abolish the mandate which was given by the UN Security Council in 1951 under Resolution 91. As long as the Kashmir dispute is not resolved, the UN Security Council mandate remains.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian foreign ministry said the government had asked UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to hand over the premises in Delhi from where it was running a liaison office for more than four decades for free as part of efforts to rationalise the mission’s presence in India.
The small UN mission has its main offices in the Kashmir’s capital Srinagar on the Indian side and in Islamabad as part of a UN Security Council resolution to supervise the ceasefire in the divided region.
New Delhi has argued that the UN had little role to play after India and Pakistan signed the Simla Pact in 1972 under which the two countries agreed to resolve all disputes including Kashmir bilaterally. But Tasnim rejected the Indian claims saying “we don’t accept Kashmir’s so-called accession to India.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2014.
COMMENTS (17)
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Israeil is now doing our work . Though we don't want such action anywhere in the world but religiously blunt people can not understand the fundamentals basis on which our stand can't be changed these issues . If they continued their terrorist activities then we have to adopt the policy of tit for tat .
@Patriotic Pakistani: It is a good thing to be patriotic but a different ball game to be realistic. Pakistan was never and will never be a match to India when it comes to any conflict. India shows restrain because it has build up certain economic growth and have things to loose while Pakistan has nothing to loose because it does not have anything. The day a war starts, all your civilian government will pack the bag and leave the country while you guys would remain to face the wrath. By the way, 91K PoW were from Pakistan and not India.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: If you want to be free of India, then LEAVE Indian Kashmir. That land belongs to India for 5,000 years. No person has any right over any inch of Kashmir other than the Union of India and no one in this world who has any consequence will change that.
"As long as the Kashmir dispute is not resolved, the UN Security Council mandate remains.” If it is a mandate, why doesn't Pakistan ask the UN Security Council to enforce it?
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: Indeed. God is blessing Pakistan a lot of love. Coming months, its going to be doubled with many more people from Ummah coming to Pakistan. There would be a chance for you to join them as well. Don't miss it.
@someone:
"Why does not your army try like men?"
Oh! You mean like men, like those a million Indian Army men tried in 2002 during their 10 month long camping a few feet away from Pakistan's border, but couldn't dare stepping foot on the border line. Wow.
"Why giving guns to poor Kashmiris to fight your war?"
Ask Kashmiris whose war is this. Else why would they take guns and sacrifice their lives for the future of their loved ones.
@someone:
It is unwise to make tall claims especially when your country is facing several indigenous separatist movements. Try as much as you can but it should be kept in mind that not only Pakistan Army but the entire Pakistani nation is ready to fight for Kashmir and yes, this time we will not give back any POWs.
@Strategic Asset:
"Siachen was never part of the Line of Control!"
So is not Sri Nagar. Is it? And Kargil is also couple of miles beyond LOC.
@junaid: Well if you guys did not learn in last 67 years, chances are you are not going to another 67. Why does not your army try like men? Why giving guns to poor Kashmiris to fight your war? Try it and this time there won't be any PoWs.
Ok..thank you .
@Bewildered: Siachen was never part of the Line of Control!
So your entire fanciful assertion amounts to ZERO.
We deluded if we think India will give us Kashmir through talks. The only option is aggresive stance and tit for tat for their work in baluchistan
"New Delhi has argued that the UN had little role to play after India and Pakistan signed the Simla Pact in 1972 under which the two countries agreed to resolve all disputes including Kashmir bilaterally."
India has rendered the Simla Agreement null and void when she militarily captured Siachen Glacier in 1984 in blatant violation of the Agreement. Here is the relevant clause of the Simla Agreement.
"(ii) In Jammu and Kashmir, the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of December 17, 1971, shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognized position of either side. Neither side shall seek to alter it unilaterally, irrespective of mutual differences and legal interpretations. Both sides further undertake to refrain from the threat or the use of force in violation of this line."
If the UNSC resolutions, as India claims, have lost relevance after passing long time, courtesy India's own eluding tactics, Simla Agreement has also outlived its life since it didn't resolve the dispute in such a long time, and there is absolutely no hope that it will ever do in future keeping in view the India's dodging history. Moreover, Simla Agreement did not specifically prohibit raising the dispute in any other forum like UN.
@Alann:
Pakistan is a sovereign country and it has all the right to give its opinion on matter concerning its territorial integrity. Even if some people does not like the 'unwanted opinion' but the fact remains that Kashmir is disputed territory and Pakistan will raise concern when India will take step to violate the UN resolution on Kashmir.
ET please publish.
Great response by Pakistan. We Kashmiris agree 100%. Glad to have such wonderful allies like Pakistani people, may God bless you.
What is the need to even comment on such petty issues? Does Pakistan considers itself the USA of South Asia? If Pakistan knows this doesn't in any way affect the Kashmir issue, why bother? Why does it feel the need to give its unwanted opinion in anything happening inside India?