Pakistan likely to approach International Court of Justice over Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan-led Pakistan government is likely to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over Kashmir issue, sources told Zee News on Tuesday.

Under pressure from several opposition parties which alleged that the Imran Khan government is part of an 'international conspiracy' to stay silent in matters related to Kashmir, Pakistan has decided to approach the world court.

“Pakistan has decided to approach ICJ,” the country's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told local channel ARY News.

India scrapped the Article 370 and 35 A of the Constitution, which gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It further split it into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir (with legislation) and Ladakh.

Pakistan's desperate decision to move to the world court comes after a majority of nations asked Islamabad to solve the issue bilaterally with India, under the conditions of Simla and Lahore Declaration agreements. Experts believe the move will not yield any result for Pakistan, which is already under tremendous pressure to act against home-grown terrorism and stabilising its frail economy.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan must be reduced. In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US President “conveyed the importance of reducing tensions between India and Pakistan” and “maintaining peace in the region”.

Hitting out at Pakistan, which has been sulking since Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government announced abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the neighbour has been running from pillar to post throughout the world. Mocking Pakistan, he said, “We removed Article 370 and the neighbour is getting weak. They are running across the world and even threatening us intermittently.”