ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it never accepted article 370 of India’s constitution but acknowledged that it theoretically provided special status to Indian administered Kashmir which was repealed as New Delhi tried to turn the internationally recognized disputed territory into a province in blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 47.
Following a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal told Arab News that Pakistan would lobby the international community and use every legal, political, and diplomatic option against India’s “reprehensible act” which he described as a step from “occupation to annexation.”
Demonstrating its disappointment, Pakistan on Thursday suspended its Friendship Express train service to India, a day after it downgraded its diplomatic ties with New Delhi, expelled the Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, and suspended trade with its eastern neighbor.
Bilateral dialogue between Pakistan and India has remained suspended since the first term of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated over the years, but India’s latest move puts regional peace at stake.
Foreign policy expert, Dr. Zafar Jaspal, said Pakistan had a number of options against India’s violation of international law.
“We can extend our political and diplomatic support to our Kashmiri brothers and deepen our relationship with China, as it’s also a part of this conflict,” Jaspal told Arab News, adding that “Pakistan can also take its case to the United Nations.”
Asked if Islamabad could take further measures by denying consular access to the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, Jaspal said it would not be favorable for Pakistan’s campaign against India.
“We should continue to act as a responsible state,” he added.
Dr. Faisal told Arab News that there was uncertainty if Prime Minister Imran Khan would participate in the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next month.
“At this point, nobody knows whether he will go because the situation may deteriorate to such a level where he may not be able to leave the country. The foreign minister had to come back from Hajj as well. At this point, we don’t know what will happen next week.”
Explaining the situation in Indian administered Kashmir, which is currently under a security lockdown, the spokesman said: “India has stationed 900,000 troops — one soldier is deployed at every household [in Kashmir] – what is this?”
He added, “If India says it is doing this for the betterment of the people then it should hold a plebiscite instead,” he said.