Pakistan 'disappointed' over US's ‘India’s Jammu & Kashmir' statement; terms the reference inconsistent with UNSC’s resolutions

Pakistan has expressed its disappointment over US State Department’s tweet for not referring Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as a ‘disputed region’.

In a press release, Foreign Office (FO) said that the reference is inconsistent with the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir as recognized by numerous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the international community.

The FO further said that Jammu and Kashmir one of the oldest items on the agenda of the UNSC remains unresolved because of India’s unwillingness to implement the relevant UNSC resolutions, and its own solemn commitments made to Pakistan, the Kashmiris and the international community.

"The political and economic progress of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is inextricably linked to the realization of their desire for exercising the right to self-determination," FO said.

Pakistan has called on the international community, including the US to urge India to take genuine steps to resolve the Kashmir dispute in a peaceful manner in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions.

In a tweet on February 10, the US welcomed the Indian government's decision to resume 4G mobile internet in 'India's Jammu & Kashmir'. "This marks an important step for local residents and we look forward to continued political & economic progress to restore normalcy in J&K," the department tweeted.

However, the US later clarified that there has been no change in its Kashmir policy. “I want to be very clear, there has been no change in US policy in the region,” said State Department spokesperson Ned Price when asked whether there was a change in the US's position regarding Illegally Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.