New Delhi: India on Friday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan regarding the latter’s plans to hold “General Elections” to the so-called “Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly” in the Indian territories illegally occupied by Pakistan. New Delhi reiterated its position that entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the so-called “Gilgit-Baltistan” are integral and inalienable parts of India and such endeavours by Pakistan cannot mask the underlying issues of grave human rights violations, political repression, economic exploitation and denial of freedom in territories illegally occupied by Pakistan.
“The Government of India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan regarding the latter’s plans to hold “General Elections” to the so-called “Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly”, in the Indian territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan, scheduled for 7 June 2026. The Government of India reiterated its well-known position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’, are integral and inalienable parts of India as a result of complete, legal and irrevocable accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India in 1947,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The strongly-worded statement came after Pakistani authorities announced that polling for all constituencies of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Assembly will be held on July 27.
The MEA said that Indian government rejects any attempts by Pakistan to bring material change to areas illegally occupied by it and stressed that such actions cannot hide the fact that Pakistan illegally occupies Indian territories, which it must vacate.
“The Government of India further emphasised that such endeavours by Pakistan cannot mask the underlying issues of grave human rights violations, political repression, economic exploitation and denial of freedom in territories illegally occupied by Pakistan,” the MEA statement detailed.
“The Government of India categorically rejects any attempts by Pakistan to bring material change to areas under Pakistan’s illegal occupation, and underlines that such actions cannot hide the fact that Pakistan illegally remains in possession of Indian territories, which it must vacate,” it added.
Last November, India had urged Pakistan to end the “grave” human rights abuses as its forces suppress the people’s open revolt in areas of Kashmir it illegally occupies.
“In the last few weeks alone, the occupying Pakistani forces and their proxies have killed many innocent civilians who are agitating for their basic rights and freedoms” in parts of Kashmir in occupies”, Bhavika Managalanandan, a First Secretary at India’s UN Mission, had stated at the UN General Assembly.
“We call upon Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it, where the population is an open revolt against Pakistan’s military occupation, repression, brutality and illegal exploitation of resources”, she had mentioned while dismissing Islamabad’s diatribes.
Mangalanandan spoke of the people of Kashmir participating in elections as vindication of India’s democracy.
“We reject attempts by Pakistan to denigrate the people of India and the Democratic choices regularly exercised, including by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” and “the social and economic progress experienced by them is evident for all to see”.
She added, “It is unfortunate that Pakistan has resorted to subversion of the principle of self-determination by resorting to false equivalences”.
Pakistan often claims that the Security Council asked for a plebiscite in Kashmir, but, in fact, the Council in its Resolution 47 of April 1948, ordered Pakistan to withdraw its troops and citizens from all of Kashmir.
But Islamabad continues the illegal occupation in violation of the Council’s demand.
“Let me reiterate the union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India”, Mangalanandan had said.
(IANS)
