THE relationship between India and Pakistan is one that witnesses perpetual controversy.

Recently, the Indian government struck down a controversial legislative bill saying that no person shall publish or distribute any wrong or false topographic information about India, including its international boundaries, through the internet, online services or any electronic media.

This controversial bill also aims to display the disputed territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India. The bill lists penalties, including a prison term of up to seven years and a fine of Rs1 billion. Outsiders also have to secure permission to use India’s geospatial image. Last year, the Indian government took the Al Jazeera news channel off air for a week because it had repeatedly shown the map of Kashmir as disputed territory.

The United Nations is requested to urge India to halt acts that violate international law, and to persuade it to resolve its problems with Pakistan through dialogue, besides honouring its 68-year-old pledge to the Kashmiri people of holding a plebiscite of which country they want to accede to.

Zeeshan Nasir

Turbat, Kech

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2016