PAKISTAN observes today, August 5, Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation) to protest against the illegal annexation of Kashmir into the Indian territory. This day marks the third year of revocation of Article 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution, which gave special status to Kashmir — a blatant violation of the Shimla Agreement between the two countries and the United Nations Security Council's binding Resolutions 47 (1948), 51 (1948), 80 (1950) and 91 (1955), which embody the principle that "final disposition of the state of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations (UN)."

Article 370 had accorded special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, and all the provisions of the Indian Constitution — which were applicable to the Indian states — did not apply to the territory. Due to this article, Jammu and Kashmir was a region which, despite being a part of the Indian Union under the so-called Instrument of Accession, enjoyed separate constitutions, flags and official languages. It was only because of this article that — except for defense, foreign affairs, finance and communications — the Indian Parliament needed the concurrence of the so-called government of Jammu and Kashmir.

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