MEA Rejects Pakistan's 'Youm-e-Istehsal' As 'Malicious Propaganda'

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's observance of the so-called Youm-e-Istehsal, calling it a "political absurdity" aimed at spreading "malicious propaganda" against India.

Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh "are, have always been, and shall forever remain an integral and inalienable part of India."

He said the constitutional changes made on August 5, 2019, were "entirely an internal matter of India" and had brought "unprecedented socio-economic development, good governance and democratic empowerment" to the region. "Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on matters that are strictly internal to India," he added.

The MEA also accused Pakistan of attempting to divert international attention from its domestic record. "Pakistan's desperate attempts to peddle falsehoods are intended solely to deflect international attention from its own dismal human rights record and its status as the global epicentre of terrorism," Jaiswal said.

Referring to the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), he alleged that Pakistani security forces had resorted to "lethal violence, targeted killings and draconian bans" against peaceful civil rights protesters. He urged Pakistan to "stop the bloodshed in PoJK, take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terror networks operating from its soil, and immediately vacate all Indian territories under its illegal and forcible occupation."

Pakistan's Position

The MEA's remarks came after Pakistan observed Youm-e-Istehsal on August 5, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirming Islamabad's "steadfast solidarity" with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and calling for a "peaceful and just resolution" of the dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a separate message marking the occasion, described August 5 as the beginning of efforts to alter the demographic and political character of Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated Pakistan's diplomatic and political support for Kashmiris.

Background

August 5 marks the anniversary of the Indian government's 2019 decision to revoke the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and reorganise it into the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

While India maintains that the constitutional changes have strengthened governance, development and democratic participation in the region, Pakistan observes the anniversary as Youm-e-Istehsal and uses it to criticise New Delhi's Kashmir policy.

The exchange comes amid continued diplomatic tensions over Kashmir, terrorism and the Indus Waters Treaty, as well as India's recent criticism of Pakistan's crackdown on protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.