ISLAMABAD / SRINAGAR Pakistan said Sunday that any attempt to scarp Article 35 A of the Indian Constitution, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was aimed at bringing about demographic changes and claimed that it was a violation of the international law.
India’s Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a bunch of petitions challenging Article 35A’s validity soon.
Article 35A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and bars people from outside the state from acquiring any immovable property in the State.
Pakistan Foreign Office said it understands the Supreme Court of India is due to deliberate shortly on the petitions calling for scrapping of Article 35A of the Constitution.
“Pakistan condemns any such attempts as these are clearly aimed at bringing about demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir,” it said in a statement.
The Foreign Office (FO) said any such move would be a blatant violation of the international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, which prohibit introducing material changes to the disputed territory.
Tampering Article-370, Article 35A Will Render Treaty Of Accession Null & Void: Mehbooba
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Sunday said any tinkering with Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution, which provide special status to Jammu and Kashmir, will render null and void the state’s Instrument of Accession with India.
“Article 370 is the constitutional connection between J&K & Indian Union. Instrument of accession is contingent on Article 370 which is inextricably linked to Article 35A. Any tampering will render Treaty of Accession null & void,” Mehbooba said in a series of tweets.
She said Kashmir Valley is rife with speculation about the status of Article 35A.
“Before taking a decision, GoI (Government of India) must consider that J&K was the only Muslim-majority state that chose a secular India over Pak during partition,” she added.
Mehbooba cautioned that Kashmiris should not be blamed for the developments if the special provision was scrapped.
“Those frothing at the mouth & calling for its removal shouldn’t blame Kashmiris for the developments that will follow such a hare-brained decision,” she said.
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