Omar Abdullah Rejects Pakistan PM's Comments on Article 370 Anniversary, Says Kashmir Issues Are India's Internal Matter

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s comments on the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, saying that while people in the region may have their own concerns over the 2019 decision, the matter remains an internal issue of India. Reacting to Sharif’s remarks, in which the Pakistan leader described the revocation of Article 370 as a "human rights violation", Abdullah questioned Pakistan’s own record on rights issues in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). He said Islamabad had no role in India’s internal affairs.

“Pakistan should look at the situation in the areas under its control before commenting on others. We have our own grievances regarding August 5, but it is our internal matter. Pakistan has nothing to do with it,” Abdullah said. The Chief Minister also urged Pakistan to focus on addressing issues within PoJK instead of raising concerns about Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that human rights violations and violence continue in areas controlled by Pakistan.

“They should stop interfering in our matters. The more they interfere, the weaker their position becomes. They should first address the problems in the territory they control,” Abdullah said. He added that discussions regarding Jammu and Kashmir’s future would be held between the people of the region and the central government, without outside involvement.

Abdullah’s comments came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar marked August 5 as “Youm-e-Istehsal” (Day of Exploitation), referring to India’s decision in 2019 to remove Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had already rejected Pakistan’s statements, calling them an attempt to spread misinformation and divert attention from Islamabad’s own human rights record.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the constitutional changes introduced on August 5, 2019, were entirely India’s internal matter. He added that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India and accused Pakistan of having no authority to comment on the issue. The ministry also criticised Pakistan over alleged rights violations in PoJK, calling on Islamabad to address violence in the region and take action against terror networks operating from its territory.

Abdullah had earlier reiterated that his party, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), continues to oppose the changes introduced in 2019. In a post on social media platform X, he said his party had neither forgotten nor accepted the developments that altered Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional position.

In August 2019, the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and reorganised the former state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The move has remained a politically sensitive issue, with different stakeholders holding sharply contrasting views on its impact and implications.