Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi backtracked his statement days after conceding that the abrogation of Article 370 is India's internal matter

Taking a u-turn days after conceding that the abrogation of Article 370 is India's internal matter, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi backtracked his statement with clear hopes of attempting some damage control. Taking to Twitter, the PTI-led government minister resorted back to Pakistan's same old rhetoric stating that Jammu & Kashmir is an 'internationally recognised dispute' on UN Security Council Agenda. Claiming that nothing about J&K can be 'India's internal matter,' Qureshi contradicted his own statement from a few days ago where he admitted that the abrogation of Article 370 is India's internal issue.

Previously, in an interview with Samaa TV, Qureshi was heard making the massive admission which seems to have left his top bosses red-faced with embarrassment and thereby possibly forcing him to attempt damage control. In the interview clip, which was shared by Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat, Qureshi had also pointed out that the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir has been challenged in the Supreme Court. While admitting that the abrogation was India's internal matter, he stressed that all outstanding issues can be settled only through dialogue as war will be "suicidal".

Imran Khan's Foreign Minister had remarked, "Article 370 is their (India's) internal issue. The people of Kashmir are saying that you had made a promise...It is their frustration. The matter is still pending in the Supreme Court and people have challenged it. There has been a strong reaction in Kashmir to the steps which have been undertaken- whether it is 35A or 370 or the cruelty inflicted there. Today, there is a huge section in India which agrees that they have lost more and gained less because of these steps."

"There is no option other than dialogue. These are two nuclear powers with outstanding issues which need to be resolved either today, tomorrow, or the day after. War is not an option. War will be suicidal," he added. This statement had come at a time when the two countries have officially entered into a ceasefire, though Pakistan at different points has resorted to unilaterally violating it. The ceasefire, however, has been welcomed by a number of neighbouring countries. As is often the case with Pakistan, however, when steps are taken to thaw relations with India, quick retractions and unhelpful statements like Qureshi's often come about.

Article 370 Abrogation

A Presidential notification combined with requisite legislation passed by both the House of Parliament in August 2019 led to Article 370 becoming a thing of the past. This implied that the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was scrapped. Furthermore, the region was bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. Thereafter, restrictions on the movement of people and communication were imposed in the state, which was gradually lifted over the months. Ever since Pakistan has obtained an intrusive stance attempting to garner international attention to the matter despite the Indian government's clear and tough stance that the matter pertains to India's sovereignty. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in yet another desperate measure and political gimmick, had also raked up the matter at the United Nations in September 2019.

Pakistan Violates Ceasefire, Again

After maintaining peace for a couple of months following the India-Pakistan DGMOs meeting in February, Pakistan ended the ceasefire agreement reached on May 3, briefly after observing it for merely 68 days. The Pakistani forces resorted to unprovoked firing in the Samba sector of the International Border. The incident happened at around six in the morning when all of a sudden Pakistani rangers started targeting Border Security Forces in Samba Sector to which BSF retaliated in appropriate measure.

Earlier on 25 February, India Pakistan decided to abide by the ceasefire agreement so that peace prevails on both sides of borders and issued a statement, “ The Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact. The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors in a free, frank, and cordial atmosphere. In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb the peace and lead to violence”.