The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has vowed to use all means available to it to stop India from implementing what it called a demographic agenda to change the structure of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) in order to change the identity of the occupied people and undermine their right to self-determination.
The Pakistani Government in a statement issued through its High Commission in Abuja, strongly condemned and completely rejected the Indian Government’s attempts to further deprive the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IOJ&K) through “Jammu and Kashmir Grant of the Domicile Certificate Procedure, 2020”.
It said the new domicile law is illegal and in clear violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, international law including the 4th Geneva Convention and bilateral Agreement between Pakistan and India. Pakistan also vowed that India will never succeed in its designs to subjugate the people of IOJ&K or break their will by the relentless state-terrorism.
“The domicile law is aimed at changing the demographic structure of the IOJ&K and undermining the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their rights to self-determination through free and impartial plebiscite as per the relevant UNSC Resolutions. We reiterate that such steps can neither change the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir recognized as such by the United Nations and the international community nor can they prejudice the inalienable right to self- determination of the Kashmiri people.
“The timing of this illegal Indian action is particularly reprehensible as it uses the world community’s preoccupation with the COVID-19 Pandemic and reflects the opportunistic and morally bankrupt mindset of the RSS-BJP combine,” the statement said.
Pakistan noted that like the earlier Indian illegal actions, the people of the IOJ&K have completely rejected the domicile law as “unacceptable”. It added that the Kashmiri people will never accept the sinister “Hindutva” agenda of dispossessing them of their land, marginalizing them politically and economically, and depriving them of their distinct identity.
“Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the international; community about the real Indian designs behind its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019. Through these actions along with continuing restrictions, excruciating military crackdown, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions and incarcerations, and grave human rights violations, India seeks to perpetrate its illegal occupation of the IOJ&K,” the statement added.
It called on the United Nations and the international community to take immediate action to stop India from changing the demography and distinct identity of the IOJ&K and hold India accountable for the persistent violation of international law.
“Pakistan will continue highlighting the plight of the Kashmiri people at all international fora till the realization of their inalienable right to self- determination in accordance with the relevant UNSC Resolutions,” the statement added.
India and Pakistan have fought two major wars over territorial disputes in 1947 and 1965 and a limited war in 1999. Although both nuclear-armed countries have maintained a fragile cease-fire since 2003, they regularly exchange fire across the contested border, known as “Line of Control”.
Tensions have continued to mount of another military confrontation between both countries. In August 2019, India deployed tens of thousands of additional troops and paramilitary forces to the region in a move said to be a revocation Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, removing the “Special Status” of Jammu and Kashmir. India-administered Kashmir had come under lockdown in a move India said was to curb militant activities but condemned by Pakistan as gross rights violations.
