In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Centre government’s August 2019 move to abrogate Article 370, a decision that had bestowed special status upon the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, Pakistan swiftly dismissed the verdict, asserting that it holds “no legal value” in the realm of international law.
Pakistan’s caretaker Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani, stated during a press conference in Islamabad that the international law does not recognize India’s “unilateral and illegal actions” of August 5, 2019. Despite the Supreme Court’s endorsement, Jilani emphasized that Kashmiris maintain an inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
“Pakistan categorically rejects the judgment announced by the Supreme Court of India on the status of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Jilani, referring to the decision as a “travesty of justice.” He insisted that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognized dispute on the UN Security Council’s agenda for over seven decades, and its final disposition should align with relevant UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Moreover, Jilani stated that Pakistan does not acknowledge the supremacy of the Indian Constitution over Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that any process subservient to the Indian Constitution carries no legal significance. He accused India of attempting to change the demographic structure and political landscape of Kashmir through its “unilateral and illegal measures” since August 5, 2019.
India has consistently maintained that Kashmir is an internal matter, seeking normal and friendly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, violence, and hostility. The relationship between the two nations, particularly strained over the Kashmir issue, worsened after India’s abrogation of Article 370, leading to diplomatic and trade downgrades by Pakistan.
Jilani concluded by stating that Pakistan would continue to extend its full political, diplomatic, and moral support to the people of Kashmir for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination. He announced plans to convene a meeting of all stakeholders to determine the country’s future course of action.
In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticized the verdict, calling it a “biased decision” that violates international laws and betrays the sacrifice of millions of Kashmiris. Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari echoed similar sentiments, stating that India does not follow international laws and UN resolutions.
As tensions persist over the Kashmir issue, the region remains a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with the international community closely watching developments in South Asia.
