Pakistani Embassy in Ankara hits back at India over claims on Jammu and Kashmir

Aug 27, 2021 | Kashmir Coverage (General News)

The Pakistani Embassy in Ankara on Friday hit back at India over its claims about Jammu and Kashmir and urged to overturn its actions and conduct the plebiscite, as recommended by the UN Security Council.

Pakistani Embassy in Ankara issued a statement in response to remarks made by Sanjay Panda, India’s ambassador to Turkey, in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency on the second anniversary of revocation of provisions of Article 370 and abrogation of Article 35A from the Indian Constitution.

“If the Indian government is so confident about the so-called progress and development in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since 05 August 2019, it should allow international media, UN and humanitarian organizations and independent observers entry into IIOJK to independently verify the situation on ground,” the statement said.

Blaming India for assimilating the identity of Kashmiris, it said: “Indian government through its actions of 05 August 2019 has subjected them to one of the most brutal and repressive lockdowns in modern history. The Indian actions have also adversely impacted the regional peace and security in South Asia.”

Calling on India to overturn its Aug. 5 decision, Pakistan also urged the neighbor to “lift its inhuman military siege in IIOJK, stop its illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, cease extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and cordon-and-search operations, release the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and political leadership, withdraw over 900,000 occupation troops from IIOJK.”

UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir

Referring to the UNSC resolution on the region, the statement said: “Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and is one of the oldest items on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) pending resolution due to Indian intransigence.”

In response to the Indian ambassador’s remarks, the statement noted: “Numerous UNSC resolutions have established that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite held under the UN auspices.”

Recalling UNSC resolutions for the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir, it said that “will be made in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite held under the UN auspices.”

“On the contrary, changing of status quo in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is in complete violation of not only the UNSC Resolutions but also Bilateral Agreements between India and Pakistan, especially the Simla Agreement. The Simla Agreement notes that pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation,” it added.

 

Author: Faruk Zorlu | Publication: Anadolu Agency