Part of Kashmir under illegal occupation of Pakistan: MEA

Talking to media in the national capital, Sawrup added, “Also the ground reality is that part of Jammu and Kashmir is under illegal occupation of Pakistan.”

In yet another attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Sharif has written to the UN chief for the second time in a month to intervene by sending a fact-finding mission to probe alleged human rights violations in the Valley.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Sharif sent the letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon apprising him of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir. Sharif sent the letter in response to UN Secretary General’s call for making efforts to avoid further violence in Kashmir, he said.

“The Prime Minister mentioned that while ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir’ cannot be compared in terms of the grim and tragic situation of human rights in Kashmir, it remains open to any UN mission for a visit as it has always facilitated the UNMOGIP, foreign diplomats and tourists,”Zakariya said.

The letter called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Balochistan and PoK as unwarranted and in complete contravention of the UN charter. It said the remarks were aimed at diverting the world attention from the ongoing atrocities in the Kashmir valley.

Sharif welcomed the UN Secretary General’s offer of his good offices and said that Kashmir is the main dispute between India and Pakistan. The spokesperson also said that Pakistan would continue its efforts to raise the Kashmir dispute at all international levels.

(With inputs from PTI)