India's apex court verdict on Article 370 has 'no legal value': Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday said India's Supreme Court verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370 has "no legal value", asserting that the international law doesn't recognise New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal actions" of August 5, 2019.

The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the Centre government's decision of August 2019 to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"International law doesn't recognise India's unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019. The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value. Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self determination in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions," Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said in a post on X.

Earlier, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif criticised the apex court's verdict, calling it a "biased decision."

"The Indian Supreme Court has violated the international laws by giving a decision against the resolutions of the United Nations. Indian Supreme Court has betrayed the sacrifice of millions of Kashmiris," said Sharif, who served as the prime minister from April 2022–August 2023.

With this "biased decision", Kashmir's "freedom movement" will become stronger, he said, adding that there will be "no abatement in the Kashmiri struggle." Under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, PML-N will raise the voice of the right of Kashmiris at all levels, he added.

Relations between India and Pakistan have often been strained over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. However, their ties nose-dived after India abrogated Article 370 as Pakistan expelled the Indian envoy and downgraded the trade ties.

India has time and again said that Kashmir is an internal matter, and added it desires normal, friendly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, violence and hostility.