Pakistan vows to fight India's 'illegal' Kashmir move

International Desk: Pakistani PM Imran Khan has vowed to fight India's decision to revoke Indian-administered Kashmir's autonomy, including at the UN Security Council.

Mr Khan said the move was in breach of international law, adding that he feared ethnic cleansing by India.

The region remains locked down, a day after India announced the move.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, but each country controls only part of it.

There is a long-running separatist insurgency on the Indian side, which has led to thousands of deaths over three decades. India accuses Pakistan of supporting insurgents - an accusation Pakistan denies, saying it gives only moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris who want self-determination.

The Pakistani prime minister said he wanted to "tell the world" about the decision announced by the Indian government on Monday.

"Through the United Nations Security Council, we are studying it now, we will raise it in General Assembly, we will talk to heads of States at every forum... we will raise it in the media and tell the world," he said.

Mr Khan said he thought the removal of special status would allow India to change the demographic make-up of the Muslim-majority state.

"I am afraid that [India] will now carry out ethnic cleansing in Kashmir," he said.

"They will try to remove the local people and bring in others and make them a majority, so that the locals become nothing but slaves."

Earlier, Pakistan's powerful army chief said his troops stood by Kashmiris in their "just struggle".

Neighbouring China has also voiced opposition to the Indian move, describing it as "unacceptable".

A telecoms and media blackout in Indian-administered Kashmir, combined with a curfew, is being enforced amid concern that the government's decision to revoke autonomy could trigger large-scale protests by people already unhappy with Indian rule.

Source: BBC

 

risingbd/Aug 7, 2019/Mukul