Pakistan seeks UN help on Kashmir

Islamabad: Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Thursday invited UN secretary general Antonio Guterres’ attention towards India’s alleged designs to bring demographic changes in Kashmir.

In a statement issued by the foreign ministry, Khawaja Asif “condemned the Indian barbaric policies against defenseless Kashmiris”. He deplored the “recent killings in Kashmir, as well as harassment of Hurriyat leadership on false and fabricated grounds”.

While urging the world community and human rights organisations to take notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir, he invited the attention of the UN chief towards “Indian designs of bringing demographic changes in order to convert the Muslim majority of the area into a minority”.

In this regard, the foreign minister underlined the “steps of the Indian government like efforts to abrogate Article 35-A of Indian Constitution, settlement of West Pakistan refugees, giving land to non-Kashmiri industrialists, and establishment of Sainik colonies.”

He emphasised that these actions “are in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as international law and norms, which prohibit bringing material changes to a disputed territory”.

Mr Asif noted that the intended demographic changes would undermine the prospects of holding a free and fair plebiscite in Kashmir required by UN resolutions. The minister “paid tributes to the valiant people of Kashmir for showing unmatched determination and resilience in peacefully pursuing their noble cause”.