New Delhi: India on Tuesday criticized Pakistan for its decision to hold elections in Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, saying it is a “cosmetic exercise” to camouflage Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) also added that these actions cannot hide the serious human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom to people residing in the occupied territories of Pakistan over the past seven decades.
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While protesting the action, the MEA said: “Actions such as these cannot conceal the illegal occupation of parts of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh by Pakistan or the gross human rights violations, exploitation and Denial of freedom to people residing in Pakistan occupied territories for the past seven decades. ” He added: “These are cosmetic exercises intended to camouflage their illegal occupation.”
Pakistan has announced that elections will be held in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on November 15 under the recent Gilgit-Baltistan Amendment Order 2020 (Elections and Provisional Government). The country plans to make the region its fifth province and hectic political activities are underway.
The MEA also reiterated that all “Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the so-called Gilgit and Baltistan areas are an integral part of India by virtue of its accession in 1947” and “the Government of Pakistan has no locus standi in illegally and forcibly occupied territories “.
India highlighted how the Pakistani establishment has been trying to bring material change in areas under “its illegal and forced occupation” and called on Pakistan to “immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation”. There are three foreigners for every four in the Pakistani-occupied parts of the Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
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