Imran Khan dials Saudi Crown Prince, apprises him about situation in J-K

Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Tuesday dialled Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to apprise him about the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, reported Pakistani media. On August 5, the Pakistani prime minister had telephoned his Malaysian counterpart and held a detailed discussion over J-K.

The phone call to Saudi Prince came in the wake of Indian government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35A from the valley and separate Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Saudi news agency SPA, both the leaders discussed the situation in Kashmir and efforts ‘exerted’ towards it.

On Monday, the Pakistani Foreign Secretary summoned Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria after a resolution to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was passed in the Rajya Sabha. The Indian government on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “The Foreign Secretary conveyed Pakistan's unequivocal rejection of these illegal actions as they are in breach of international law and several UN Security Council resolutions. Pakistan’s resolute condemnation of the unlawful actions aimed at further consolidating the illegal occupation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) was underscored.”

Earlier on August 5, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, seeking to bifurcate the state into two union territories of J-K and Ladakh, was passed by 125 "Ayes" and 61 "No" in Rajya Sabha amid a walkout by opposition parties. Yesterday, Lok Sabha also cleared the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, by 370 "AYES" and 70 "NO" on Tuesday. The J-K Reorganisation Bill seeks to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.