Pakistan Rejects India's Move On Kasmir

Pakistan on Monday condemned and rejected the Indian government decision to scrap the special status granted to disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan strongly condemns and rejects the announcements made by the Indian Government regarding the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir," Mohammad Faisal, Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

"No unilateral step by the government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan," Faisal said.

Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps, he added

Earlier, Pakistani President Arif Alvi termed the Indian government announcement as a violation of the UN Security Council resolutions which call for a plebiscite in the region.

"India's attempt to further change status of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir is against the resolutions of UNSC & against wishes of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan supports & insists on a peaceful resolution based on wishes of Kashmiri people & stands with them in their hour of need," he tweeted.

India on Monday scrapped the special status granted to the disputed region raising fears that the Indian government will try to change demographics of the Muslim-majority state by allowing Hindu settlers to buy land.

Since 1947, Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed special provisions to enact its own laws. The special provision also protected its citizenship law that disallowed outsiders to settle and own land in the territory.

The Himalayan region is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars -- in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989. -