Islamabad: Pakistan has strongly rejected recent statements made by India regarding the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, terming them baseless, misleading, and an attempt to distort facts.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Foreign Office said that India’s remarks on Gilgit-Baltistan were aimed at diverting global attention from the worsening human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). It added that such claims were part of a consistent pattern of misinformation and politically motivated propaganda.
The Foreign Office stated that India’s assertions once again reflected efforts to misrepresent the reality of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains a longstanding issue on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council. It reiterated that the dispute originated from India’s occupation of the territory in 1947 and is still awaiting resolution in accordance with international law and UN resolutions.
According to the statement, a just and lasting settlement of the Kashmir issue can only be achieved through the implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. These resolutions, it noted, call for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision, enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their future.
The Foreign Office further highlighted that the legal framework in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir grants extraordinary powers and immunity to security forces, which has led to continued allegations of human rights violations and repression.
Pakistan urged India to reverse all unilateral actions taken in IIOJK, particularly those introduced after August 5, 2019, repeal restrictive laws, and allow access to international human rights organizations, independent observers, humanitarian agencies, and foreign media to assess the situation on the ground.
Reaffirming its position, Pakistan said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be given their internationally recognized right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.
