Indian attempts to change IOJ&K's demography: PM approaches UN chief, world leaders

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that he had approached United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other world leaders to stop India from illegal annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) and illegitimate attempts to change demography of the occupied territory.

The prime minister on his twitter account, further said that issuance of domicile certificates to 25,000 Indian nationals was part of those illegal attempts by India to change demographic structure of the IOJ&K which was also a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

All these illegal attempts, he said, were aimed at usurping the legal and internationally guaranteed rights of the Kashmiri people.

The prime minister further observed that continuation of such illegitimate acts on part of the Indian government seriously endangered peace and security in South Asia.

"I have approached UN Secretary General and reaching out to other world leaders. India must be stopped from this unacceptable path that further usurps the legal & internationally guaranteed rights of the Kashmiri people & seriously imperils peace and security in South Asia," he posted on his twitter account.

In another tweet, the prime minister highlighted "First India's attempt at illegal annexation of IOJK & now its attempts to alter IOJ&K's demographic structure (including) by issuance of domicile certificates to 25,000 Indian nationals are all illegal, in violation of UNSC resolutions & international law, including 4th Geneva Convention."

Earlier, the Foreign Office in its statement said that these certificates issued to non-Kashmiris including, among others, the Indian government officials under "Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), 2020" which 'are illegal, void and a complete violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and International law including the 4th Geneva Convention'.

"The latest action is a vindication of Pakistan's consistent stance that the major intention behind the Indian Government's illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 was to change the demographic structure of IOJ&K and turn Kashmiris into a minority in their own land. This has long been part of the RSS-BJP's "Hindutva" agenda," it added. The foreign office spokesperson further said that by changing the demographic structure of IOJ&K, the Indian Government intended to undermine the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nation as per the relevant UNSC Resolutions.