Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi described Monday as a step in the right direction the Supreme Court’s direction to the Indian government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to restore normalcy in the Valley as early as possible.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s comments came as India’s apex court asked the authorities to keep in mind the national interest while taking the necessary steps on a ‘selective basis’.
India stood divided after the Supreme Court directed the government to restore normalcy in Kashmir, ‘Geo News’ quoted the Pakistani foreign minister as saying.
Talking to the media, the Qureshi said the verdict of India’s top court was an affirmation of the stance Pakistan had taken on the issue of Kashmir after New Delhi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.
Terming the decision of the top court in India as a step in the right direction, Qureshi said it actually represented the division of opinion in India over the actions of the Indian government in Kashmir where normal life has remained affected on Monday for the 43rd consecutive day.
“Restoring normalcy means that the curfew should be lifted and communications to the occupied Valley restored,” Qureshi stated.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its ‘internal matter’. New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric.
PTI
