Foreign Minister invites UN Secretary General’s attention to Indian designs of bringing demographic changes in IoK, condemns Indian atrocities

(2017-08-17) The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, in a statement strongly condemned Indian barbaric policies against defenseless Kashmiris. He deplored the recent killings in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IoK), as well as harassment of Hurriyat leadership on false and fabricated grounds.

He paid a rich tribute to the valiant people of IoK for showing unmatched determination and resilience in peacefully pursuing their noble cause. He underscored that the Indian Government should read the writing on the wall that its repressive policies can never succeed in suppressing the Kashmiris from demanding the right to self determination confirmed to them by UN Security Council resolutions.

While urging the World community and human rights organizations to take notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in IoK, he invited the attention of the UN Secretary General towards Indian nefarious designs of bringing demographic changes in IoK in order to convert the Muslim majority of the area into a minority. In this regard, the Foreign Minister underlined the steps of the Indian Government like efforts to abrogate Article 35-A of Indian constitution, settlement of West Pakistan Refugees, giving land to non-Kashmiri industrialists, and establishment of Sainik colonies. He emphasized that these actions are in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as international law and norms, which prohibit bringing material changes to a disputed territory. He noted that the intended demographic changes would undermine the prospects of holding a free and fair plebiscite in IoK required by UNSC resolutions.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to peacefully resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and will continue to extend its moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Islamabad
17 August 2017

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