In an unprecedented admission that has stirred headlines across Pakistan, the Pakistani government acknowledged Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a “foreign territory.” This statement was made before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) during a hearing concerning the kidnapping of Kashmiri poet and journalist Ahmed Farhad Shah.
On Friday, the Additional Attorney General of Pakistan argued that Shah was in police custody in PoK and therefore could not be produced before the Islamabad High Court, as reported by Aaj News. This statement came in response to an inquiry from Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the IHC, who questioned why Shah could not be presented to the court.
The Additional Attorney General contended that PoK has its own constitution and judicial system, making it a “foreign territory.” He explained that judgments from Pakistani courts are considered “foreign court judgments” in PoK. Justice Kayani responded by questioning how the Pakistani military and Rangers could operate in PoK if it were indeed foreign territory. The court also criticized Pakistani intelligence agencies for engaging in the “forceful abduction of people.”
Ahmed Farhad Shah, known for his defiant prose, was allegedly abducted from his home on May 14. Following his disappearance, Shah’s wife, Urooj Zainab, filed a petition seeking her husband’s recovery. She requested the court to identify, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for his abduction.