Today, On 14th October, the Supreme Court refused to hear a petition contesting the Lieutenant Governor’s authority to nominate five MLAs to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, directing the petitioner to approach the High Court first. Concerns were raised about undermining the electoral mandate, but the legal challenge can continue at the High Court level.
The Pakistani government admitted in the Islamabad High Court that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) is a foreign territory, in the context of the case involving the kidnapping of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad Shah. This rare acknowledgment contradicts Pakistan’s usual stance and could have significant geopolitical implications. The case also raises questions about Pakistani courts’ jurisdiction over POK.