ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has categorically rejected the grant of domicile certificates of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) to reportedly 25,000 Indian nationals.
In a statement issued today (Saturday), the Foreign Office said, “The certificates issued to non-Kashmiris under Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), 2020 are illegal.
“India has violated the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and International law including the 4th Geneva Convention in this regard,” the foreign office added.
FO Spokesperson further said, “The latest action is a vindication of Pakistan’s consistent stance that the major intention behind the Indian Government’s illegal actions of 5 August 2019 was to change the demographic structure of IOJ&K and turn Kashmiris into a minority in their own land,” adding, “This has long been part of the RSS-BJP’s “Hindutva” agenda.”
“By changing the demographic structure of IoK, the Indian government intends 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,” the statement added.
The foreign office also said, “Through these reprehensible actions, along with continuing restrictions, extra-judicial killings, and unabated grave human rights violations, India seeks to further perpetuate its illegal occupation of IOJ&K.”
“India should know that its suppression has not been able to break the will of the Kashmiri people in the past and it will not succeed in doing so in the future,” read the statement.
The Foreign Office also urged the United Nations and the international community to stop India from changing the demographic structure of IOJ&K by settling people from India in a territory that it has illegally occupied and the status of which remains disputed.
“India must be urged to immediately cancel all the domicile certificates of IOJ&K issued illegally, revoke unlawful rules aimed at further disempowering and disenfranchising the Kashmiris by effecting a demographic change, and comply with its international legal obligations through the implementation of the relevant UNSC Resolutions,” the statement concluded.
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