ISLAMABAD, Feb 18 (APP): Former Additional Secretary of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) Khawaja Farooq Kirmani has said that the unilateral and illegal revocation of Article 370 was a systematic effort to end Kashmir’s special constitutional identity.
Kirmani, in an interview with a private television channel, said that the administrative and political powers had been gradually transferred to New Delhi, weakening local autonomy of IIOJK.
He argued that serious questions existed regarding the authenticity of the Instrument of Accession as unlike accession documents of other princely states, this agreement lacked the state seal and did not fulfill clear legal requirements.
Kirmani said that the appointments of the people from outside the territory on high official positions reduced the opportunities for the local population.
He stated that that changes in permanent residency laws were also paving the way to alter the demographic balance, calling it a settler colonial project aimed at affecting the Muslim-majority identity of the region.
According to him, the revocation of official status for historical days and traditions was also part of changing the region’s identity, adding that all of the said measures were aimed to fully integrate Kashmir into India’s federal structure and eliminate its disputed status.