Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said he penned a letter to the head of the UN Security Council asking to convene an emergency meeting over India’s removal of special status from the disputed Kashmir region. In a video message on Tuesday, Qureshi said that Islamabad deems India’s actions in Kashmir “illegal” and in violation of UN resolutions.

“It is a mistake on the part of India if it thought that it could crush the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir,”he said, adding that the whole of Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Muslim-majority region. Earlier, Qureshi admitted that it would be hard to tip the balance in the UNSC in Pakistan’s favor, since India has become a force too potent to not be reckoned with, especially in terms of economy. He added that Islamabad would have to go for a “new struggle” to win international support for its cause.

India revoked the self-governing status of the territory last week, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) arguing that the controversial move would allow for a smoother integration of Kashmir into India and would help the government to quell local insurgency.

(Source: Russia Today)