Pak FM raises Kashmir issue with Sri Lankan counterpart
August 30, 2019 01:28 pm
Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Janak Marapana on Thursday to discuss the current situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Foreign Minister briefed his Sri Lankan counterpart on the illegal and unilateral actions of India to alter the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was in contravention of the international law and UNSC resolutions.”
“He underlined that the steps taken by India in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir entailed a grave risk for peace and security in the region. He also highlighted the danger of India carrying out a false flag operation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir to divert the attention,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
The Foreign Minister had apprised the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister of the “continuously deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation” in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including severe shortage of food and lifesaving medicines, communications blackout and complete lock-down for the last 23 days.
He also said that an international organization Genocide Watch had issued a “Genocide Alert” for Indian Occupied Kashmir. “He said that the situation was extremely alarming. The use of force by the Indian forces could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe,” the release said.
“The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said that Sri Lanka was following the situation with concern. He said that Sri Lanka valued its relationship with Pakistan and they are looking forward to the visit by the Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka.”
The two leaders agreed to remain in contact and continue to work together for peace and stability in the region, it said.
Qureshi reportedly also held telephonic conversations with his counterparts from New Zealand and Azerbaijan to discuss the Kashmir issue with them.
India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into two union territories.
