Pak slams India over domicile law
■ Islamabad accuses India of settling non-Kashmiris in state
New Delhi: Indo-Pak tensions are set to further spike after Pakistan lashed out at India for the new domicile law in J&K, accusing it of trying “to take advantage of the international community’s focus on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic”. Full
Indo-Pak tensions are set to further spike after Pakistan lashed out at India on Thursday for the new domicile law in J&K, accusing it of trying “to take advantage of the international community’s focus on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic” and furthering its “Hindutva” agenda. Condemning it, Islamabad accused New Delhi of “continued attempts to illegally change the demographic structure” of J&K.
It may be noted that Pakistan has been trying to mobilise world opinion against India in the past eight months on the Kashmir issue, but has failed. Islamabad will no doubt be hoping that the new domicile law will give it further ammunition to attack India on the matter.
India’s position has always been that J&K is an integral part of India and that developments there are an internal matter of the country.
According to reports, the new law states that any person who has resided in J&K for 15 years or who has studied for seven years and appeared in the secondary/higher secondary board exam would be considered as a UT domicile and appointed to its services. Critics in India of the new law include National Conference leader and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah.
Trying to take advantage of the situation, Islamabad jumped into the fray and accused New Delhi of trying “to settle non-Kashmiris in J&K by changing the domicile laws” and claimed it was a “violation of international law” and “violation of bilateral agreements” between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
In a statement issued from Islamabad, Pakistan said, “The latest Indian action, at this moment of global health crisis, is particularly reprehensible as it seeks to take advantage of the international community’s focus on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and further advance BJP’s sinister, ‘Hindutva’ agenda.”