The Supreme Court's verdict that upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution remained among key discussion points in Pakistan's media both on Monday and Tuesday. The political circles in the country also remained critical of the verdict and said the decision to uphold the revocation of Article 370 has “no legal value”.
“International law doesn't recognise India's unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019. The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value. Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN SC resolutions,” Jalil Abbas Jilani, a minister in the country's caretaker government, said.
Pakistan's national daily, Dawn wrote in its editorial that the judgment acted as “pouring salt on the Kashmiris' wounds”. It further referred to Union home minister Amit Shah's “Nehruvian blunders” remark in the Lok Sabha and criticised the BJP-led central government.
The Express Tribune called August 5 the “darkest day for Kashmir”, whereas, another national daily of the country said, “India fails Kashmir again”. The Nation said, “India forcibly revokes IOK special status”.
The five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud unanimously affirmed the abrogation of Article 370, holding the provision to be temporary and agreeing that the President has the power to nullify the special status of J&K under special circumstances that were exclusively within the domain of India's political executive.
Pakistan's news broadcaster GEO News wrote in its report that the "Narendra Modi-led Indian government abrogated Jammu and Kashmir's special status and to stop any opposition against the illegal step, the government allocated lakhs of soldiers in the valleys for security."
Another broadcaster ARY News wrote the “Narendra Modi regime in gross violation of the United Nations resolutions and international law scrapped Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution” and referred to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
Meanwhile, PM Modi, writing for HT, said Jammu and Kashmir became a “big victim” of “duality” that cropped up from “confusions” at the time of making a fresh start for national integration during independence. He also mentioned that Article 370 and 35A were like “major obstacles” and they “ensured that the people of J&K never got the rights and development that the rest of their fellow Indians got.”
“It was always my firm belief that what had happened in J&K was a great betrayal – to our nation and to the people living there. It was also my strong desire to do whatever I can to remove this blot, this injustice done to the people,” he wrote.
