On 11th December, Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs office issued a press note rejecting the judgment announced by the Supreme Court of India on the status of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. In the press note, Pakistan asserted the region is disputed and continued referring to its unfounded claim.
Pakistan asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognised dispute. However, these assertions are not only outdated but also baseless. Notably, the international community has witnessed the evolving dynamics of the region. It is high time Pakistan acknowledge the ground reality – Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, including Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), are integral parts of India.
🔊: PR NO. 2️⃣2️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2023
Pakistan Rejects the Indian Supreme Court’s Verdict on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
🔗⬇️ https://t.co/bsemHte2nF pic.twitter.com/DsFH9AovuE
Pakistan claimed that the aspirations should make the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir of the people of Kashmir. That assertion is misleading as the hostile neighbour conveniently overlooked the fact that the majority of the Kashmiris chose to be part of India, and they regularly participate in the democratic processes. The separatism that is rooted in the region is not because of the people of Kashmir but because of the propaganda being spread by Pakistan since its formation out of India in 1947.
Pakistan insisted on UN resolutions, which are another smokescreen to divert attention from its failed status to respect the rights of the people it claims to “champion”. Not to forget, Pakistan consistently promotes insurgency and terrorism in the region, making it difficult for the people of Kashmir to live peaceful and progressive lives. It was only after the abrogation of Article 370 in the region that Jammu and Kashmir saw a notable dip in incidents of terrorist attacks, deaths of civilians and, armed forces and stone pelting.
On 11th December, Home Minister Amit Shah informed Rajya Sabha how the situation has improved in the region in terms of terrorist activities and stone pelting, etc. He said that total incidents of terrorist activities during UPA time were 7,217. However, since the BJP came to power, the number of such incidents reduced to 2,197. During UPA time, 2,829 security personnel and civilians lost their lives. Compared to that, such deaths were reduced to 891 civilians and security personnel died. 2,654 incidents of organised stone pelting happened during UPA.
Furthermore, since the Abrogation of Article 370, zero stone-pelting incidents have been reported in the region. 112 civilians died during stone pelting during UPA, but zero such deaths have been reported since the abrogation of Article 370, as no incidents of stone pelting took place. 6,235 civilians were injured in such incidents during UPA, but zero such injuries have been reported since the abrogation of Article 370. In 2010, 70 ceasefire violations were reported, but in 2023, only six such incidents were reported. Similarly, incidents of infiltration attempts clocked to 479 compared to recent reports of 48. In 2010, 18 terrorists reportedly left Kashmir. However, in 2023, 281 terrorists reportedly left Kashmir.
Pakistan has consistently refused to acknowledge that the Constitution of India has supremacy over Jammu and Kashmir. It shows the hostile neighbour’s deliberate attempt to undermine India’s legal and constitutional processes. By indulging in such actions, Pakistan is not only defying established norms in the region but also promoting a dangerous narrative that threatens the sovereignty of India.
In the press note, Pakistan criticised the apex court’s verdict on the status of Jammu and Kashmir. It termed the judgment as a travesty of justice, which was in itself based on distorted historical and legal arguments. It is essential to remind Pakistan that the judgment passed by the Supreme Court of India’s five-judge bench, including the Chief Justice of India, perfectly aligns with the ground reality. Furthermore, the foundation of the verdict was based on the will of the region’s people.
Pakistan asserted that the restoration of statehood and conduct of elections in Jammu and Kashmir could not serve as a substitute for the right to self-determination. Pakistan’s flawed assertion missed the aims of the Indian government’s initiatives that are bringing normalcy and development to the region. The government of India is addressing the local population’s concerns and bringing Jammu and Kashmir’s people to the mainstream.
Pakistan mentioned human rights violations in its press notes. The funny thing is that Pakistan’s track record of human rights violations is internationally talked about. The minorities in Pakistan face serious challenges, including abductions, forced conversions and murders. Pakistan has actively supported terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The irony is the hostile neighbour itself is facing a rise in terror attacks.
It is high time for Pakistan to recognise the hollowness of its outdated claims over the region. Pakistan must acknowledge the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to stay with India. As the Indian government has repeatedly said, Pakistan must hand over the occupied regions of Kashmir immediately and vacate them so that the people of Kashmir can breathe in peace.
Supreme Court upheld abrogation of Article 370
The Supreme Court on 11th December upheld the abrogation of Article 370, which grants a special and separate Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 and Article 35A of the Indian Constitution gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir thereby giving it a separate identity from the rest of India. Key takeaways of the judgment can be seen here.
