Pakistan responded to the Supreme Court’s decision to repeal Article 370
Pakistan claimed on Monday that India’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the repeal of Article 370 has “no legal value,” claiming that international law does not accept New Delhi’s “unilateral and illegal actions” on August 5, 2019.
The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Centre government’s August 2019 decision to repeal Article 370, which granted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir special status. “India’s unilateral and illegal actions on August 5, 2019 are not recognised by international law.” The Indian Supreme Court’s judicial approval has no legal weight. “In accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self-determination,” interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani stated.
Jilani stated during a news conference in Islamabad that India has “no right to make unilateral decisions on the status of this disputed territory” against the will of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan. Pakistan absolutely condemns the Supreme Court of India’s decision on the status of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
He called the judicial support for India’s “unilateral and illegal actions” a “travesty of justice.” He stated that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally acknowledged conflict that has been on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council for over seven decades. “The final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir is to be made in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and as per aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he told reporters.
“Pakistan does not recognise the Indian Constitution’s supremacy over Jammu and Kashmir.” Any procedure that is submissive to the Indian Constitution has no legal value. “India cannot shirk its international obligations under the guise of domestic legislation and judicial decisions,” he remarked. The Kashmir dispute and cross-border terrorism coming from Pakistan have frequently strained relations between India and Pakistan. However, once India repealed Article 370, Pakistan withdrew the Indian envoy and reduced commercial relations.
India has often stated that Kashmir is a domestic concern and that it wishes to maintain regular, amicable ties with Pakistan in an atmosphere devoid of terror, bloodshed, and enmity. Gilani said that India’s “unilateral and illegal measures” since 5 August 2019 had changed Kashmir’s demographic composition and political environment.
“They continue to be a source of grave concern for Pakistan because their ultimate goal is to turn Kashmiris into a disempowered community in their own land.” “These measures must be repealed in order to foster a climate of peace and dialogue,” he stated. According to the minister, Pakistan would continue to provide full political, diplomatic, and spiritual assistance to the people of Kashmir in order for them to realise their fundamental right to self-determination.
“We will soon call a meeting of all stakeholders and determine our future course of action,” he told reporters. In response to a query, he stated that Pakistan would wish to preserve peace along the LoC following this decision. When asked about the possibility of more militancy in Kashmir, he stated that Kashmiris have never accepted Indian control. “Ultimately their reaction would be like that of the people of Gaza,” he went on to say.
He stated that the problem of not conducting discussions with India had not changed. “No dialogue is going on with India and no such thing is hidden from my eyes,” claimed the prime minister. He stated that Pakistan’s attitude for any international court is quite strong, whereas India consistently seeks refuge in processes and denies international court authority.
Earlier, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif slammed the Supreme Court’s judgement, calling it a “biassed decision.” The Indian Supreme Court broke international law by ruling against United Nations resolutions. “The Indian Supreme Court has betrayed the sacrifice of millions of Kashmiris,” Sharif, who was prime minister from April 2022 to August 2023, remarked.
This “biassed decision” would strengthen Kashmir’s “freedom movement,” he added, adding that there will be “no abatement in the Kashmiri struggle.” The PML-N, under by Nawaz Sharif, would speak up for Kashmiris’ rights at all levels, he stressed. Pakistan Peoples Party chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that India has once again demonstrated its disregard for international rules and UN resolutions.
“Indian parliament and courts cannot rewrite international agreements,” said Mr. Singh.