-FO says Indian domicile law aimed at usurping rights of Kashmiris
-Torkham border to open for 4 days
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Sunday dismissed as irresponsible remarks by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tweet condemning the recent Indian steps to illegally change the demographic profile of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Spokesperson Ayesha Farooqui said the latest Indian action, aimed at further usurping the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people through changing the domicile law at a time when the world is busy fighting COVID-19 pandemic, once again betrays the BJP leadership’s rank political opportunism and moral bankruptcy.
“India’s incessant regurgitation of the claim that Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an “internal affair” will neither turn this falsehood into truth nor make this illegality legally valid,” she said in a statement.
The IOJ&K is an internationally recognized “disputed” territory, as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. These Resolutions stipulate that the final disposition of the State of Jammu & Kashmir will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices,” the statement read. She said no amount of Indian sophistry could obfuscate India’s state-terrorism in IOJ&K and the RSS-inspired “Hindutva” agenda being imposed by the BJP Government and nor would India’s use of brutal force ever succeed in breaking the will of the Kashmiri people fighting for their inalienable right to self-determination.
Pakistan has decided to open Torkham and Chaman border crossings for four days from Monday to allow the exit of Afghan nationals stranded in Pakistan amid coronavirus pandemic, media reported.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement that the step has been taken on a special request of the Afghan government based on humanitarian considerations and to facilitate the Afghan nationals.
The statement further said as a neighbour and in view of fraternal bilateral relations, Pakistan remains in abiding solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, particularly at this time of global pandemic.
Earlier on March 20, Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to announce the opening of the Chaman-Spin Boldak border to Afghanistan for trucks to crossover to the other side.
PM Imran Khan said that despite the global pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus Pakistan’s resolve to stand by and support the people of Afghanistan in their hour of need.
The tweet read: “Despite global pandemic of COVID 19, we remain committed to supporting our Afghan brothers & sisters. I have given instructions to open the Chaman-Spin Boldak border & let trucks crossover into Afghanistan. In time of crisis, we remain steadfast with Afghanistan.”
