“Not an ordinary occurrence but an important development”: Pak FM on Gupkar Declaration 2.0

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the latest statement by six unionist parties of Jammu and Kashmir is not an ordinary occurrence but an important development as it holds the signatures of Farooq Abdullah and enjoys the support of the Congress party which is the main opposition party in India, Radio Pakistan reported.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad today, Qureshi said that “six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the Indian steps of 5th August last year as they have forged an alliance, vowing to wage a joint struggle to revive the old status of the territory.”

“It is a clear message to Modi government that the Kashmiris have stood up against the illegal steps of 5th August.”

“Kashmiri struggle for the right to self-determination has taken a new turn with a political resistance movement gaining strength in the territory,” he said.

“India undertook illegal steps to change the demography of the territory and disempower the local population. However, the Indian brutal acts of the last one year including military siege and communication blackout have not shaken the resolve of the Kashmiri people,” Qureshi said.

Responding to a question, Qureshi said there is no change in the stance of Saudi Arabia on Kashmir. He said both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are discussing different proposals. He said the OIC has several times passed unambiguous resolutions in support of oppressed Kashmiri people.

On China, Qureshi said the country also has been holding a clear stance on Kashmir issue that the dispute should be resolved under the UN resolutions.

With inputs from Radio Pakistan