The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has called on the Nigerian Government, the United Nations, and other international organisations to intervene and end what it described as India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Retired Maj.-Gen. Sohail Khan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, made this call during an annual ceremony held in Abuja in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Khan said the day is globally observed as “Youm-e-Istehsal” (Day of Exploitation/Abuse) to mark the Indian government’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5, 2019.
He stated that India’s move to abrogate Article 370 of its constitution which had granted the region a degree of autonomy was a deliberate attempt to alter the internationally recognised disputed status of the territory and undermine the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
The scale of this move cannot be overstated. Abrogating Article 370 represents a major tipping point in an already tense dispute, with serious implications for Kashmiris and for the broader Kashmir issue, which remains an unresolved part of the subcontinent’s partition,” Khan said.
He explained that Article 370 had allowed Kashmiris to formulate and implement their own policies in all areas except foreign affairs and defence. It also prevented non-residents from acquiring land in the region. Since the revocation, Kashmiris, he said, have faced daily restrictions on freedom of expression and movement, along with constant threats from Indian security forces.
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Khan described the revocation as a “nightmare scenario” for many Kashmiris, saying it has forced them closer to a government they do not trust.
“In addition to UN Security Council Resolution 47, early Indian leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, had promised a plebiscite to allow Kashmiris to determine their future,” he said. “However, over time and through successive leadership transitions, India shifted its stance, eventually claiming Kashmir as an integral part of the country.”
He added that although India had previously recognised the provisional nature of its control over the region, it attempted to portray goodwill by granting Kashmir special status under Articles 370 and 35A. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, he said, unilaterally revoked that status for political reasons.
“No Indian government had ever tampered with Kashmir’s special status until now. The move was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s electoral manifesto and aimed at pleasing hard-line groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by altering the region’s demographic composition,” Khan stated.
He noted that, according to India’s own constitution, Article 370 could only be amended with the consent of the state government. However, there was no functioning government in the region at the time of the revocation.
“The Kashmiri people and their leaders have overwhelmingly rejected India’s illegal occupation and the abrogation of Article 370,” he said. “The claim that the move would bring normalcy, peace, and prosperity has not materialised. Instead, Kashmiris have continued to endure severe human rights violations.”
Khan said this year’s observance of Youm-e-Istehsal takes on added significance against the backdrop of recent tensions between India and Pakistan.
“The success of Pakistan’s ‘Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos’ is a source of pride for our people. But this day also reminds the international community of the urgent need for a just resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the people of Jammu and Kashmir:
“Pakistan will continue to provide all possible political, diplomatic, and moral support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) for the full realisation of their legitimate rights.”
