RAWALPINDI: In a follow up to Indian government’s decision to strip held Kashmir of its special status through a rushed presidential decree a day earlier, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has called a Corps Commanders Conference today to discuss the aftermath of what Pakistan has dubbed as an “illegitimate move”.
The top military brass will meet at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi to discuss the Indian move to revoke Article 370 and its impact in occupied Kashmir as well as the situation along the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian government rushed through a presidential decree on Monday to abolish Article 370, which revoked the special status granted to occupied Kashmir and made the state a Union Territory with the legislature.
The announcement sparked chaotic scenes in the Indian parliament, with opposition politicians shouting protests, and the Congress describing the decision as a “catastrophic step”.
A joint session of Parliament summoned by President Dr Arif Alvi will also meet at Parliament House in Islamabad today to discuss the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned and rejected the Indian government’s move. In a press release, the ministry stated that Indian-occupied Kashmir was an internationally recognised disputed territory.
“No unilateral step by the Government of India can change this disputed status, as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Nor will this ever be acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan,” said the press release.
“As the party to this international dispute, Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps,” it added.
