Pakistan rejects 'baseless' Indian contentions about GB elections

Published July 3, 2020
FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui reiterated that the only resolution to the Kashmir issue was the "faithful implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions that recognise the inalienable right" of the Kashmiris. — APP/File
FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui reiterated that the only resolution to the Kashmir issue was the "faithful implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions that recognise the inalienable right" of the Kashmiris. — APP/File

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday rejected remarks made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson regarding elections in Gilgit-Baltistan.

"The Indian government, which has been holding fraudulent 'elections' in occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the barrel of Indian occupation forces and has turned the region into the world’s largest open prison, has no locus standi to comment on elections in GB," FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said.

"Pakistan reiterates that India remains in illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement read, adding that the issue — the longest outstanding item on the UN Security Council’s agenda — stemmed from Delhi's forcible and illegal occupation of the region in 1947.

On Thursday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the decision to hold elections was "an attempt to camouflage Islamabad’s illegal occupation of Indian territories", according to The Hindu.

“We call upon Pakistan to vacate all Indian territories that are under their illegal occupation,” he said, while replying to a question during an online media briefing.

In the statement issued today, the FO spokesperson reiterated that the only resolution to the Kashmir issue was the "faithful implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions that recognise the inalienable right" of the Kashmiris "through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices".

"Baseless Indian contentions about elections in GB cannot cover up the egregious human rights violations committed by Indian security forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

"Only the other day, heartless Indian occupation forces in Sopore killed an unarmed civilian in front of [his] three-year old grandson," she said, referring to the killing of an elderly man by Indian troops in front of his minor grandson during a gun battle with Kashmiri fighters two days ago.

"The impunity enjoyed by Indian occupation forces under the draconian laws in place [...] is another dimension of state terrorism being perpetrated by India against unarmed Kashmiris."

Farooqui called upon the Indian government to vacate all occupied territories, reverse all illegal actions taken in the valley, revoke all draconian laws, and allow neutral observers, and international human rights groups to visit the region to ascertain the Kashmiris' well-being as well as allow them to exercise their right to self-determination.

On April 30, the top court had allowed the Centre to conduct elections in GB under the Election Act 2017 and amend the relevant law to install a caretaker government for conducting polls.

On June 28, President Dr Arif Alvi approved the election schedule for the GB Legislative Assembly. The assembly was dissolved on the completion of its term on June 24 and, as per the law, elections have to be held within 60 days to elect new members.

According to the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, polls will be held on August 18 this year.

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...