Pakistan strongly condemns new Indian laws allowing non-Kashmiris to settle in IOJK

ISLAMABAD, Apr 2 (APP):Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned and rejected the latest Indian action of amending the domicile laws aimed at illegally changing the demographic structure of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) by allowing the non-Kashmiris to settle there.

“The so-called “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020” is another illegal step by India to settle non-Kashmiris in IOJ&K by changing the domicile laws. This is a clear violation of international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

She said the Indian action, a continuation of India’s illegal and unilateral steps since August 05, 2019, also constituted a violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan, and humanitarian norms.

The spokesperson said the Kashmiris in IOJK had outrightly rejected the new law as “unacceptable.” Indeed, the Kashmiris will never accept such blatant usurpation of their fundamental rights and attempts to change their demography and distinct identity, she added.

“The latest Indian action, at this moment of global health crisis, is particularly reprehensible as it seeks to take advantage of the international community’s focus on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and further advance BJP’s sinister, “Hindutva” agenda,” the spokesperson remarked.

She said Pakistan had been consistently sensitizing the international community about the BJP government’s designs for demographic change in IOJK to perpetuate India’s illegal occupation of the disputed territory, manifestly against the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

The spokesperson urged the United Nations and the international community to take immediate cognizance of the Indian action, prevent India from changing the demography of the occupied territory, and hold India accountable for its persistent violations of international law.

She reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to continue highlighting India’s state terrorism in IOJK, and its denial of the fundamental freedoms and inalienable right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

“No matter what its tactics, India will never be able to break the will of the Kashmiri people. Nor will India succeed in its nefarious designs to subjugate the Kashmiris against their wishes,” the spokesperson remarked.