New Delhi, India (March 06, 2014): An Indian university’s decision to expel Kashmiri students, followed by a sedition charge against the students for ‘celebrating’ victory of Pakistan cricket team over Indian cricket team in a match, has sparked strong reactions, including those from the Pakistan Foreign Office official and the J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Pakistan today termed the slapping of sedition charges on nearly 60 Kashmiri students in Uttar Pradesh for cheering the Pakistani cricket team as “very unfortunate” and said its ‘heart and educational institutions’ are always open if they wanted to pursue their studies there.

Pak Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said she knows that Kashmiris celebrated Pakistan’s victory against India in the Asia Cup.

“We saw Indian media reports that there were all night celebrations and there were also reports that 67 Kashmiri students were expelled,” she said at her weekly press briefing here at the Foreign Office.

Stating that she does not have any way of corroborating that information, Aslam said, “If these Kashmiri students want to come and pursue their studies in Pakistan, our hearts and academic institutions are open to them”.

J&K CM Omar Abdullah has also reacted to the incident. He said that it was too harsh to book the students under the law of sedition.

It is notable that political offence of sedition is defined under section 124-A of Indian Penal Code 1872 which carries a punishment which may extend up to imprisonment for life.

There has been widespread misuse of sedition law in India, and many sensitive sections have been demanding repeal of the sedition clause.