Pakistan on Wednesday said it planned to raise the Kashmir matter at the United Nations Human Rights Council, PTI reported. The statement came a day after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said his government would take the dispute with India to the International Court of Justice.
The remarks came in response to India’s decision earlier this month to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Pakistan has fought three wars with India for Kashmir since Independence.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that consultations were going on for various options. Briefing a Senate committee, he said the options included using the forum of the UN Human Rights Council and the foreign ministers’ meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Faisal, describing the restrictions in Kashmir, told the committee that the government was “fearful that the situation is heading towards Pulwama 2”, Geo News reported. He was likely referring to a terror attack in February, in which 40 Indian jawans were killed in Pulwama district of Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Qureshi spoke with the foreign ministers of Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands on phone to discuss the Kashmir matter. Qureshi has been trying to mobilise support from other countries in recent days.
Qureshi tweeted later that Pakistan continues to pursue “aggressive diplomacy” for Kashmir across the globe. He said: “Peace is the only solution. India’s continued oppression, violence and disregard for human life in IOK [Kashmir] is the antithesis to a peaceful solution for the people of Kashmir and regional stability.”
Pakistan had earlier this month downgraded diplomatic ties with India and stopped cross-border trade following the decision on Kashmir. It also halted the operations of the Samjhauta Express on its side. Pakistan also took the Kashmir matter to the United Nations Security Council, saying India’s decisions were a threat to regional and global peace.
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