Pakistan condemns, rejects India Govt's designs to further deprive Kashmiris through new domicile law

• The timing of this illegal Indian action in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic was particularly reprehensible and reflected the opportunistic and morally bankrupt mindset of RSS-BJP combine.
• Our stance on Jammu & Kashmir dispute has been clear, consistent and in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
• In 2020, she said, the Indian occupation forces had so far committed 1101 indiscriminate and unprovoked ceasefire violations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned and rejected the Indian government's sinister design to further deprive the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) through new domicile law.

In her televised weekly news briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said the domicile law was aimed at changing the demographic structure of occupied Kashmir and undermining the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination through free and impartial plebiscite in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

She said the timing of this illegal Indian action in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic was particularly reprehensible and reflected the opportunistic and morally bankrupt mindset of RSS-BJP combine.

The Spokesperson said voices from around the world continue to condemn the inhuman oppression of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and discrimination against minority communities in India.

She said Pakistan welcomed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) statement issued yesterday, expressing deep concerns over India`s unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent measures to alter demographics of IOJ&K.

To a question, she said Pakistan had rejected all baseless statements from India regarding Gilgit-Baltistan. “Our stance on Jammu & Kashmir dispute has been clear, consistent and in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The dispute can only be resolved through implementing the relevant UNSC Resolutions, calling for the exercise of Kashmiris right to self-determination through free and impartial plebiscite,” she added.

About Indian concerns over construction of Diamir Bhasha Dam, the Spokesperson said Pakistan rejected the Indian statement and added that Pakistan’s position on the matter was consistent, clear and based on principles and precepts of international law. India does not have any locus standi in the matter and cannot raise objections to the project, she said.

She said Pakistan rejected all baseless Indian assertions and actions aimed at misrepresenting facts. Like the so-called “political maps” issued last year by India, she said this move was also legally void, contrary to reality, and in violation of the relevant UNSC Resolutions. Such actions are testament to India’s irresponsible behavior, she added.

The Spokesperson said that no illegal and unilateral steps by India could change the “disputed” status of Jammu and Kashmir, recognized as such by the international community including the United Nations.

She said Pakistan would urge India not to make baseless assertions and to abstain from misleading the world community through unfounded claims on regions that constitute internationally recognized disputed territories.

To a question about violation of ceasefire line by Indian forces, she said, the  Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary (WB) had continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.

In 2020, she said, the Indian occupation forces had so far committed 1101 indiscriminate and unprovoked ceasefire violations, adding that the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians was particularly deplorable and had resulted in seven shahadats and 86 injuries.

She said these violations by Indian Occupation forces were against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct.

Aisha Farooqui said Pakistan strongly condemned these egregious violations of international law and continues to call on India to respect Ceasefire Understanding (2003), investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB.

She said Pakistan also urged the Indian side to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UNSC Resolutions. By raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the IOJ&K, she added.

About repatriation of Pakistani community from various countries of the world, the Spokesperson said in the past few days, 445 Pakistani citizens were repatriated from Dubai, 150 from France and other neighboring countries, including Belgium, Italy and Poland, 105 from Spain, 250 from Canada, 257 from Iraq, 249 from Sudan, 250 from Jeddah, 237 from Indonesia and 331 Pakistani prisoners were brought back from Malaysia.