ISLAMABAD: In a sharp rebuke to the Indian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the 2019 revocation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani strongly condemned the ruling, declaring it a product of a “pliant judiciary” and asserting that it holds no legal significance.
Pakistan’s response underscored the country’s longstanding stance on the Kashmir dispute.
In the press conference where he delivered Pakistan’s initial reaction to the verdict, Mr Jilani criticised the Indian judiciary, stating, “The credibility of the Indian Supreme Court has been compromised for the last several years, particularly ever since the advent of the current leadership in India.”
He denounced the verdict as “a travesty of justice, based on distorted historical and legal arguments,” and emphasised that it failed to recognise the internationally disputed nature of held Kashmir.
The foreign minister underlined that the decision did not detract from the “gross and systematic human rights violations being perpetrated by India in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”
He reiterated Pakistan’s stance that India had “no right to make unilateral decisions on the status of this disputed territory against the will of the Kashmiri people”.
Pakistan does not acknowledge the supremacy of the Indian constitution over Jammu and Kashmir, considering it an internationally recognised dispute. He stated, “Any process subservient to the Indian constitution carries no legal significance.”
Mr Jilani underscored that the judgement would not distract the international community from the ongoing violations in held Kashmir.
He accused India of using the pretext of domestic legislation and judicial verdicts to abdicate its international obligations. The minister asserted that India’s plans to annex held Kashmir were “bound to fail”, describing the judicial endorsement of the action on August 5, 2019 as “severe injustice”.
The foreign minister emphasised that restoration of statehood and conduct of local assembly elections could not substitute the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. He declared that these measures must be rescinded to create an environment conducive to peace and dialogue.
Mr Jilani reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to extend its full political, diplomatic, and moral support to the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their right to self-determination.
The minister also announced plans for Pakistan to take further action. He stated, “After this initial reaction to the development, we will soon convene a meeting of all stakeholders and decide on the future course of action in that meeting.”
He revealed that Pakistan intended to communicate with international bodies like the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the European Parliament to highlight the issues surrounding the decision.
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the Indian SC ruling. Responding to a question during a press interaction on Monday, he said it had once again been proven that India was grossly violating the international law and norms, as well as the resolutions of the UN.
He said international powers would need to review their support to India when the country had repeatedly abusing international laws.
“Be it the parliament or judiciary of India, they cannot rewrite UN resolutions and international agreements. No matter how many times they reiterate their claim over Kashmir, as far as international law is concerned, Kashmir is a disputed territory and the matter is to be resolved as per the law and resolutions,” the former foreign minister asserted.
