ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the Indian claims that the Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) was its integral part, Pakistan on Friday asked India to stop its state terrorism.
“Pakistan categorically rejects the Indian claim that Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) is its integral part. Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed state as per the UN Security Council resolutions,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.
He said that India had denied the people of IHK their right to self-determination that its founding fathers had pledged at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The spokesperson said that Pakistan was a fully functional and thriving democracy with complete freedom of expression and a polity where all fundamental human rights were practiced and cherished.
“There is extreme pain and anguish in the people of Pakistan on the brutalities being committed against the unarmed and innocent Kashmiris, who are only exercising their right to peaceful protests,” he said. Unfortunately, the Indian response in IHK is a violation of the international human rights and the humanitarian laws, as well as UNSC resolutions, he added.
Zakaria said the unanimous resolution passed by the Convention of the Muslim Conference on July 19, 1947 demanding the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan ‘in view of the geographic, economic, linguistic, cultural and religious considerations’ was an expression of the will of the Muslims of Kashmir, who constituted 80% of the valley’s population.
“India claims to be a democracy but has blocked all public speech, mobile phones, internet, print and social media while a strict curfew remains in place in most parts of the valley,” he said.
The Kashmiri people are facing the worst form of state terrorism at the hands of the Indian forces as innocent civilians including women, children and elderly are being killed, still they are standing up to such tyrannies, he said. India must permit the holding of a free, fair and impartial plebiscite, in accordance with the UNSC resolutions, to ascertain the will of the Kashmiri people, the Foreign Office said.
