ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday called for international intervention following India鈥檚 move to grant 25,000 domicile certificates to outsiders in Kashmir.

鈥淭he certificates issued to non-Kashmiris including, among others, the Indian government officials under Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) 2020 are illegal, void and in complete violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSC) and international law,鈥� Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Office said in a statement.

It added that the move to change the demographic structure would 鈥渢urn Kashmiris into a minority in their own land鈥� as the Indian government intends to 鈥渦ndermine the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations.鈥�

The Foreign Office said the United Nations and the international community 鈥渕ust intervene鈥� to stop New Delhi from changing the demographic structure of Kashmir by 鈥渟ettling people from India in a territory that it has illegally occupied and the status of which remains disputed.鈥�

In April, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a new set of laws giving domicile rights to non-Kashmiri Indians in the country鈥檚 only Muslim-majority region.

Reports indicate that more than 33,000 residence applications have been received, mostly in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region, and 25,000 of those have been accepted since mid-May.

Discontent in Indian-administered Kashmir intensified last year, when New Delhi annulled Article 370 of the country鈥檚 constitution, which had guaranteed its special autonomous status and granted locals exclusive land and job rights. 

The central government also divided the state into two union territories 鈥� Union Territory of Ladakh and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. They are now directly governed by a New Delhi representative and their local assemblies have little political and administrative authority.