Pakistan on Monday said that it would “exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps” taken by India regarding Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).
The comments came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government introduced plans to weaken the special rights of residents in occupied Kashmir, amid heavy deployment of security forces and suspension of phone and internet services in the valley, Dawn.com reported.
In a press release, the Foreign Office (FO) strongly condemned and rejected the move by the Indian government, stressing that IoK was internationally recognised as a disputed territory.
“No unilateral step by the Government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,” read the statement. “The decision will never be acceptable to the people of IoK and Pakistan.”
“As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps,” the statement read while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmiri cause.
A meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of Kashmir will be held at the Parliament House at 2pm today.
According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting, chaired by committee chairman Syed Fakhar Imam, will discuss the situation in IoK and the use of cluster bombs on civilians by Indian forces.
‘A dangerous game being played’
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that if the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of India felt that their policies were effective, they would not have imposed governor’s rule or conducted politics through presidential orders.
“If they have turned IoK and Ladhak into union territories, it is evident that they have lost hope […] Kashmiris that used to support them earlier are also in jail or under house arrest.
“Today, India has once again revived and internationalised the Kashmir issue. This will not solve the problem, rather it will escalate it,” he warned.
“They will never be able to repress the issue.
“Time will show what a dangerous game has been played.”
Qureshi said that the entire international community needed to condemn the Indian move.
Joint session of parliament
Opposition leaders on Monday called for a joint session of parliament to be scheduled in light of the developments.
In a post shared on Twitter, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said: “Atrocities in IoK unabated. Extremist Indian government’s intentions clear. President must immediately summon joint session of parliament in wake of Indian aggression in IoK.”
BDST: 1626 HRS, AUG 5, 2019
