In response to remarks made by the Indian Ambassador, we would like to set the record straight on India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 05 August 2019

In response to remarks made by the Ambassador of India in an interview to Anadolu Agency regarding India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 05 August 2019, the Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara would like to set the record straight and state the following facts:

Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and is one of the oldest items on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) pending resolution due to Indian intransigence.

Numerous UNSC resolutions have established that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite held under the UN auspices.

More recently, the validity of the UNSC Resolutions has been reaffirmed by the statements of UN Secretary General and by the fact that UNSC has held three consultations on the matter since 05 August 2019.

The Indian Ambassador falsely claimed that the 1972 Simla Agreement has overtaken the UN resolutions, when both countries agreed to resolve the issue without any third-party party intervention or mediation. There is nothing in the text of 1972 Simla Agreement to suggest that.

On the contrary, changing of status quo in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is in complete violation of not only the UNSC Resolutions but also Bilateral Agreements between India and Pakistan, especially the Simla Agreement. The Simla Agreement notes that “pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation”.

If the Indian government is so confident about the so-called progress and development in the IIOJK since 05 August 2019, it should allow international media, UN and humanitarian organizations and independent observers entry into IIOJK to independently verify the situation on ground.

The fact is that Indian government through its actions of 05 August 2019 has tried to erase the identity of Kashmiris and has subjected them to one of the most brutal and repressive lockdowns in modern history. The Indian actions have also adversely impacted the regional peace and security in South Asia.

We call upon India to reverse its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019; immediately lift its inhuman military siege in IIOJK; stop its illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory; cease extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and cordon-and-search operations; release the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and political leadership; withdraw over 900,000 occupation troops from IIOJK; and let Kashmiris exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a fair and impartial plebiscite under auspices of the United Nations as enshrined in the relevant UNSC Resolutions.

As far as terrorism is concerned, Pakistan has been drawing attention to the Indian state sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan including through sharing of irrefutable evidence of India’s aiding, abetting and financing the terrorist attack in Lahore on 23 June 2021. We call upon India to dismantle its terror infrastructure against Pakistan, arrest the perpetrators of the Lahore attack, and bring them to justice without any delay.

Ankara
06 August 2021