The Pakistani government has acknowledged to the Islamabad High Court that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) is considered a foreign territory and that Pakistan does not have jurisdiction over it.
This rare admission was made on Friday (May 31) by Pakistan’s Additional Attorney General during the kidnapping case of Kashmiri poet and journalist Ahmed Farhad Shah.
The Islamabad court was addressing the case of Ahmed Farhad Shah, who was taken from his home in Rawalpindi by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies on May 15.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court requested Farhad Shah to be brought before the court, following a plea by the poet’s wife.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Additional Attorney General argued before Justice Kayani that Farhad Shah was in police custody in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and could not be presented before the Islamabad High Court, as per Pakistan Today.
The Additional Attorney General mentioned that Kashmir is a foreign territory with its own constitution and courts, and decisions of Pakistani courts in POK are viewed as decisions of foreign courts, as reported by Pakistan Today.
Justice Kayani questioned how the Pakistani military and Rangers could enter POK if it was indeed a foreign territory, as per an AIR report.
During the proceedings, Kayani criticized Pakistan’s intelligence agencies for the ongoing practice of forced abductions.
It was revealed during the court session that Ahmed Farhad Shah was being held by Dhirkot police, with two cases against him in POK.
The high court was considering a petition filed by Farhad Shah’s wife regarding his abduction from his home by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, under Pakistan’s control since 1947, is considered an integral part of India, as recently reiterated by the Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar.
Ahmed Farhad Shah, a renowned poet, journalist, and activist, has been a staunch advocate for the rights of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and its people.
He is widely recognized for his bold critique of the establishment, particularly the influential army, which holds significant power in the Islamic Republic. Shah has actively led and taken part in numerous protests against the government in POK in previous years.
