Pakistan rejects India's new domicile law in occupied Kashmir

Pakistan strongly condemned and rejected the government's efforts to deprive the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir of their land through the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), 2020.

"The new domicile law is illegal and a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions, international law, including the Geneva Conventions and bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

He said that the purpose of the Domicile Act was to change the demographic structure of occupied Kashmir and thwart the demand of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination through free and fair referendum in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.

"Jammu and Kashmir has been recognized by the United Nations and the international community. Such measures can neither change the nature of the conflict nor deprive the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination," he said.

The Foreign Office said that the timing of this illegal Indian move was particularly reprehensible as the international community was currently engaged with the Corona virus and it was time for the RSS-BJP alliance to fall short of opportunism and morality. Reflects the thinking that has taken place.

He said that like the illegal actions taken by the Indian government earlier, the people of Occupied Kashmir had rejected it outright, calling it "unacceptable".

He said that the Kashmiri people would never accept the nefarious 'Hindutva' agenda of evicting them from their homeland, exerting political and economic pressure on them and depriving them of their separate identity.

He said that Pakistan had been awakening the international community on August 5, 2019 about the real Indian thinking behind its illegal and unilateral actions.

The Foreign Office said that in addition to these measures, in the face of continued sanctions, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and serious human rights violations, India was trying to perpetuate its illegal occupation of occupied Kashmir. Plans will never succeed.

He appealed to the United Nations and the international community to take immediate action to prevent India from changing the separate identity of occupied Kashmir and to hold India accountable for its persistent violations of international law.

He further said that Pakistan would continue to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri people at the international level till the realization of its right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.

It may be recalled that the authorities of Occupied Kashmir had issued a notification yesterday clarifying the necessary conditions for obtaining domicile certificate for government jobs and other benefits in the federal unit.

According to the Kashmir Media Service, domicile laws will replace the permanent residence laws in occupied Kashmir which were suspended after the repeal of Articles 370 and 35A.

According to the new rules, those who have a certificate of permanent residence in Occupied Kashmir will be able to get a domicile certificate from the concerned authorities.

Under this, a person who has been living or studying in a federal unit set up by India for 15 years or for 7 years or has passed 10th / 12th class examinations in an educational institution set up in Occupied Kashmir. They will also be eligible for a domicile certificate.

In addition, persons who are registered as refugees with the Commissioner or who are the offspring of a federal government official, all present service officers, Central Bank officials, officials of legal institutions, officials of Central Universities who have spent 10 years in Occupied Kashmir Those who have rendered their services will be eligible for domicile certificate.