Islamabad: Pakistan has strongly rejected the remarks made by the Indian External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Jammu and Kashmir during an event at the Chatham House in London.
According to Radio Pakistan, at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that the remarks misrepresent the ground realities and contravene international law. He highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognized disputed territory. The relevant UN Security Council resolutions clearly stipulate that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. He emphasized that India's prevarication cannot change this reality.
The Spokesperson further asserted that any electoral exercise, pursuant to the Indian Constitution, cannot serve as a substitute for the grant of the right to self-determination. He argued that the decades-old grievances of the Kashmiri people cannot be meaningfully addressed through economic activity imposed by force.
Shafqat Ali Khan also urged India to vacate the large territories of Jammu and Kashmir, which have been under its occupation for the last seventy-seven years, instead of making baseless claims about Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He stressed that New Delhi must realize that a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, is crucial for lasting peace in South Asia.
Responding to a question, the Spokesperson noted an alarming increase in provocative statements from different Indian leaders asserting unwarranted claims on Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He maintained that historical facts, legal principles, moral considerations, and ground realities refute these factitious claims. He suggested that Indian leaders should help implement United Nations resolutions on Kashmir instead of harboring delusions of grandeur.
In response to another question about the recent arrest of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) top-tier operational commander Shareefullah and his handover to the United States, the Spokesperson confirmed that intelligence cooperation between Pakistan and the United States is long-standing. He mentioned that efforts by Pakistani law enforcement agencies against terrorists, including ISKP, have resulted in significant successes. Pakistan collaborated with the US and handed over Shareefullah pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions. These operations demonstrate Pakistan's policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, and this kind of intelligence cooperation is not an isolated incident.