After unveiling the new political map backed by legislation, the government has urged the general public to avoid the use and dissemination of unofficial or incorrect maps of the country as any such offense is punishable by a jail term or fine. The authorities observed that the general public was not fully aware of the importance and usage of Pakistan’s new political map which was a cartographic representation of a country showing its administrative and political boundaries. The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Act, 2020 has imposed stringent penalties for the printing, display, and use of unofficial or incorrect maps of the country, according to an official document. The law prevents the printing, displaying, dissemination of or use of an incorrect and unofficial map of Pakistan and any violation may result in imprisonment for a term which may extend up to five years or a fine of Rs 5 million or both. “Any individual, firm, organization or department involved in printing, displaying, disseminating, using or circulating incorrect and unofficial version of map of Pakistan or any part of Pakistan in hard or digital form shall be liable to be imprisoned for a term which may extend up to five years or a fine of five million rupees or both,” according to the law. The document called for all the citizens to only use the official map of Pakistan which was available at the Survey of Pakistan’s website. “It reinforces the idea of sovereignty and territorial integrity of a nation. It also shapes national identity and a sense of belonging among citizens,” the document said. Pakistan unveiled its new political map on August 4, 2020, in response to the Indian provocative move on August 5, 2019, when it unilaterally revoked Article 350 and 35(A) in a bid to change the legal status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan’s new official political map is distinct from the previous political map as it contains seven new distinguishing features like the working boundary marked with appropriate annotation.