UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations on Thursday expressed deep concern overthe abolition of occupied Kashmir‘s special status with abrogation of theArticle 370 and warned India to refrain from changing its legal status.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres called Thursday on India and Pakistan”to refrain from taking steps that could affect the status of occupied andKashmir.” “The Secretary-General has been following the situation in Jammuand Kashmir with concern and makes an appeal for maximum restraint,” hisspokesperson added.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern over thesituation in IoK saying that India should refrain from taking action thataffects the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir whereas his spokespersonasserted, “The Secretary-General is also concerned over reports ofrestrictions on the Indian-occupied Kashmir, which could exacerbate thehuman rights situation in the region.”
Secretary-General UN António Guterres gave a clear message to India thatthe solution to occupied Kashmir is possible through the UN Charter andSecurity Council resolutions.
The Secretary-General also recalled the 1972 Agreement on bilateralrelations between India and Pakistan, also known as the Simla Agreement,which states that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled bypeaceful means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
India‘s Hindu nationalist government stripped the disputed region of itsautonomy earlier this week in a move that sent shock waves through SouthAsia and has seen the restive area come under military lockdown.
Internet and telephone connections in Kashmir have been cut since Mondayand a curfew imposed as the authorities feared trouble when the decisionwas announced.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s administration rushed through apresidential decree on Monday to ditch the Muslim-majority region‘sconstitutionally-guaranteed status.
Parliament also passed a law splitting the state into two territories.Kashmir is also claimed by Pakistan, which on Wednesday expelled India‘sambassador and suspended all trade in protest at the move.
Modi has said nuclear rival Pakistan used the special status “as a weaponagainst the country to inflame the passions of some people” against theIndian state.
Tens of thousands of people have died in a three-decade-old insurgency inKashmir. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Himalayanregion. (Dunya News/AFP)