Daily Times

Following the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar vowed to continue extending political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in line with their inalienable right to self-determination.

The support was extended during PM Kakar’s meeting with Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chaudhry Anwarul Haq in Islamabad. The premier said that Pakistan rejected the decision of India’s top court to uphold the Indian government’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

He said the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which was pending for the last seven decades, could only be settled in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Anwaarul Haq Kakar further said that India had no right to go against international laws and take one-sided actions in the garb of the court decisions. He pointed out that India on August 5, 2019, illegally revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir aimed at changing the demographics of the valley. PM Kakar also said that he would attend the special session of the AJK legislative assembly to discuss the situation after the verdict of the Indian Supreme Court.

It is pertinent to mention here that India’s Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous verdict that the special status of held Kashmir was a temporary provision and upheld the order abrogating Article 370 in the constitution.

In August 2019, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had revoked occupied Kashmir’s special status by repealing Article 370 of the constitution. The law had limited the power of the Indian parliament to impose laws in the state, apart from matters of defence, foreign affairs and communications. The move allowed people from the rest of the country to have the right to acquire property in held Kashmir and settle there permanently.

Kashmiris, international organisations and critics of India’s Hindu nationalist-led government had termed the move an attempt to dilute the demographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir with Hindu settlers.