Pak rejects India's move to scrap Article 370, to exercise 'all possible options' to counter it

Pakistan on Monday condemned and rejected the Indian government revoking Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and vowed to exercise "all possible options" to counter India's "illegal" and "unilateral" step.

Home Minister Amit Shah announced the decision in the Rajya Sabha under which the Indian government revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The decision to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status and treat it like any other in the country is aimed at the ending the decades old separatist movement.

Reacting sharply to the Indian government's announcement, Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement said, "Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory".

"No unilateral step by the Government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan," it said.

Pakistan strongly condemns and rejects the announcements made by the Indian Government regarding Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said.

"As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps," it said.

Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment to the Kashmir cause and its political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination, the statement said.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, now on a visit to Saudi Arabia, said Pakistan would request and appeal to the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, friendly countries and human rights organisations not to remain silent on this issue.

The situation in Kashmir was more serious than before, Qureshi said.

"We will consult our legal experts...," he said.

Qureshi said that India by changing status of Kashmir violated its commitment made in the United Nations on the Kashmir issue.

Talking to a private news channel, he claimed that the "Indian move to revoke Article 370 has no legal or constitutional justification."
Human rights minister Shireen Mazari termed the Indian move as "completely unacceptable."
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that India is totally disregarding the international obligations and the country's "arrogance will only result in heightening the conflict dynamics in the region."