The lawyer who represented Pakistan in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) appears to have rejected the recent claims made by Pakistan of a genocide in Kashmir by India.
In an interview with a Pakistani news channel, Khawar Qureshi QC was asked about a claim made a few days ago by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that he feared a genocide of Muslims in Kashmir by India.
Stating that Pakistan could take India to the ICJ over such a claim, he also acknowledged that this would require proof that genocide had been committed by India, or that it was planning to commit it or had failed to stop it, which Pakistan does not have.
Qureshi went on to say that, "in absence of these evidences, it is extremely difficult for Pakistan to take this case to the ICJ".
Since the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan has been threatening to take India to the ICJ over the issue of Kashmir.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan tried his best to internationalise the issue by ringing the heads of states of different countries, including the United States. He spoke to President Donald Trump after which Trump offered to mediate in the matter. But with India making it clear that Kashmir is a bilateral issue, the US agreed with India's stand.
Imran Khan said he will raise the Kashmir issue at every international forum, including the United Nations General Assembly. But now the lawyer who represented Pakistan at the ICJ has accepted that they don’t have evidence to back up their new claim.
"Will these big countries keep looking at their economic interests only? They should remember, both countries have nuclear weapons," Imran Khan had said last month after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Khan had said, "In a nuclear war, no one will win. It will not only wreak havoc in this region, but the entire world will face consequences. It is now up to the international community".
(This story has been amended to ensure accuracy.)
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