Pakistan to exercise 'all options' to counter India's 'illegal' move in IoK

ISLAMABAD: Denouncing the move of the Indian government to repeal Article 370 for occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan declared to “exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps.”

In a statement issued on Monday, the Foreign Office strongly condemned and rejected the announcements made on Monday by the Indian government regarding the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

Earlier today, India’s BJP government moved a bill in the upper house of the parliament (Rajaya Sabha) to remove Article 370 from the Indian constitution about the special status of Kashmir. Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the bill in the parliament amid opposition members’ protest. Later the bill was signed by the Indian President.

The foreign office stressed that the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory. “No unilateral step by the Government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan.”

As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps, the FO’s statement read.

“Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause and its political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.”