Pakistan warns India any further step on IIOJK can imperil region’s peace

Pakistan on Thursday warned India against taking any further steps regarding Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), saying that it could “imperil the regional peace and security”.

Addressing a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that India must revisit its unlawful and destabilising actions in IIOJK and ensure full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

The FO spokesperson added that Pakistan would continue to resolutely oppose Indian attempts to change the demographic structure and status of IIOJK as a disputed territory.

He said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had also written a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to appraise the UN leadership of Pakistan’s concerns on these developments.

He emphasised that Pakistan had been reminding the UNSC of its responsibility for peaceful and just settlement of the dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions.

“We remain firm in our commitment to provide all possible support to the people of IIOJK in their just struggle for the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination,” the FO spokesperson said.

The spokesperson in his remarks added that Pakistan had deep concern over the recent reports indicating “Indian machinations for further division, bifurcation and demographic changes in the IIOJK to perpetuate its illegal occupation”.

“We call upon the international community, including the United Nations, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, global media and world parliaments to take immediate cognizance of the situation,” he said.

He said IIOJK was an internationally recognized disputed territory, adding that India’s unilateral and illegal actions remain in violation of international law and numerous UNSC Resolutions.