"No Legal Value": Pakistan On Supreme Court Verdict On Article 370
Referring India”s apex Court verdict on the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan on Monday responded that it “has no legal value.” A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud in a historic verdict on Monday, upheld the Central Government’s decision of ending special status conferred to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir via Article 370. The Court stated that said article was a temporary provision and President had the power to abrogate the special status and it is constitutionally valid.
Meanwhile, Jalil Abbas Jilani, a retired Pakistani diplomat who is currently holding the position as the Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote on social media platform X: “International law doesn”t recognize India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019. The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value. Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self determination in accordance with the relevant UN SC resolutions.”
International law doesn”t recognize India’s unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019. The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value. Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self determination in accordance with the relevant UN SC resolutions.
— Jalil Abbas Jilani (@JalilJilani) December 11, 2023
Similarly, Shehbaz Sharif who was a former prime minister of Pakistan, and currently the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) said on his X post that Supreme Court”s decision was “biased” and it “has betrayed the sacrifice of millions of Kashmiris.”
He wrote: “With this biased decision of the Indian Supreme Court, Kashmir”s freedom movement will become stronger.” Shehbaz Sharif also added that “there will be no abatement in the Kashmiri struggle.”
بھارتی سپریم کورٹ نےاقوام متحدہ کی قراردادوں کے منافی فیصلہ دیکر عالمی قوانین کی خلاف ورزی کی ہے۔ بھارتی سپریم کورٹ نے لاکھوں کشمیریوں کی قربانی سے غداری کی ہے۔ بھارتی سپریم کورٹ کے اس متعصبانہ فیصلہ سے تحریک آزادی کشمیر مزید مضبوط ہوگی ۔ کشمیری جدو جہد میں کوئی کمی نہیں آئے گی۔…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 11, 2023
Continuing further, Shehbaz Sharif said that PML-N under the leadership of its leader Nawaz Sharif will raise the voice of the right of Kashmiris at all levels.
Kashmir has always been a point of contention between Pakistan and India. It was on August 5, 2019 the PM Modi-led Central government repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted special status tot the people of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state. Revoking the special powers, the government divided the state into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The abrogation of the said article was on BJP”s election Manifesto in 2019.
Reading out the verdict, CJI D Y Chandrachud said: “The state of Jammu and Kashmir does not have internal sovereignty different from other states.” Besides, the court also asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
