Joint parliament session to discuss post Article 370 situation in Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Monday summoned the Joint Session of the Parliament to discuss the situation arising out after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian government.

Top political leaders including Shahbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and others asked the president to convene the meeting of both the houses.

The session has been convened tomorrow at 11:00 am.

Today, Indian government scrapped Article 370 through a presidential decree abolishing special status to the territory.

In a statement President Alvi said “India's attempt to further change status of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir is against the resolutions of UNSC & against wishes of the Kashmiri people”.

“Pakistan supports & insists on a peaceful resolution based on wishes of Kashmiri people & stands with them in their hour of need,” he further added.

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is a 'temporary provision'which grants special autonomous status to occupied Kashmir.

All the provisions of the Constitution which are applicable to other states are not applicable to occupied Kashmir.

According to this article, except for defence, foreign affairs, finance and communications, the Indian Parliament needs the state government's concurrence for applying all other laws.

The residents of occupied Kashmir, therefore, live under a separate set of laws as compared to Indian citizens elsewhere in the country, including those related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights.

As a result, Indian citizens from other states cannot purchase land or property in occupied Kashmir.