Srinagar: Ever since the government of India stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status, revoked its statehood and split the erstwhile state into two Union Territories, the United Nations Security Council has discussed Kashmir three times. Recently it was again on Pakistan’s request to the council that talks were held on the long-pending dispute.
However, there was no statement issued regarding it by the UN body. The meeting convened by China came, on the first anniversary of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
The first meeting was held in August 2019, second in January 2020, and on August 5, it holds the third meeting.
In response to this, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi termed the meeting “mark of solidarity of the international community and Council members with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a serious of tweets made after the meeting, Qurashi said: “This 3rd meeting in a year by the UN Security Council serves as a stark repudiation to the Indian claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an ‘internal matter’ and further reaffirms validity of UN resolutions on the Kashmiri’s right to self determination through an impartial plebiscite,(sic).”
In another tweet, he said: “India’s gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity in #IIOJK remain a grave concern for the international community. Pakistan is thankful to all members of the UN Security Council, especially China, for the support in organizing today’s meeting on #IIOJK,(sic).”
“India’s illegal & unilateral actions of 5 Aug 2019 have sought to change globally recognized disputed status and alter demography of IIOJK. Despite Indian lobbying attempts, today’s deliberations reflect intl community’s grave concern for peace, security & human rights in #IIOJK ,(sic).”
This 3rd meeting in a year by the UN Security Council serves as a stark repudiation to the Indian claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an ‘internal matter’ and further reaffirms validity of UN resolutions on the Kashmiri’s right to self determination through an impartial plebiscite,(sic).”
Qurashi also said: “Today, as the world witnesses 1 year of India’s illegal occupation of #Kashmir, Pakistan welcomes meeting held in the @UN Security Council. This is a mark of solidarity of int’l community & Council members with people of #IIOJK, subjected to a savage military siege,(sic).”
Earlier in the day, China said that New Delhi’s unilateral changes to the status of JK were “illegal and invalid” and that the dispute must be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
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