Pakistan expresses concern over reports of demographic changes in J&K

Islamabad: Amid reports of more bifurcation changes in J&K, Pakistan has warned New Delhi against any attempt to further make demographic changes in what it calls Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

"No new instrument of occupation shall have any legal effect. India cannot change the disputed status of IIOJK, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, nor can it force Kashmiris and Pakistan to accept illegal outcomes," the Pakistan foreign office said.

While the Pakistan foreign office did not mention what new changes are being brought into Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government, the statement certainly has faded the hopes of a dialogue, which were recently shared by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who said that Islamabad could resume talks with New Delhi if India gives a roadmap to reverse the changes it brought almost two years ago to the 'disputed' region.

The recent restoration of ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) eased tensions between the two nuclear powered archrivals, which had been eyeball to eyeball against each other for some time.

And the recent statement of Khan also seemed to move the hopes forward towards a dialogue between the two countries. However, the foreign office statement has made it clear that hopes of any positive forward movement in Indo-Pak relations may just remain as hopes.

"We urge India to reverse its unlawful and destabilising actions, ensure full compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions, and refrain from any further steps that might imperil regional peace and security in South Asia," the statement from Pakistan foreign office maintained.

"We call upon the international community, including the United Nations, world parliaments, international human rights and humanitarian organisations and the global media to take immediate cognizance of the situation. India must be stopped from any further illegal action in the occupied territory," the statement added.

Pakistan had banked its relations with India over the August 5, 2019 decision by the Narendra Modi-led government, which abrogated Article 370 and 35A, changing the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcating it into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Pakistan has made it clear that there can be no talks until India reviews and reverses its decision of August 5, 2019.

(With IANS inputs)