Pakistan on Friday strongly rejected India’s comments regarding the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, describing them as “baseless” and accusing New Delhi of attempting to distort facts through propaganda.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Pakistan said India’s remarks were part of a “familiar and carefully choreographed attempt to conflate fact with fiction,” adding that Islamabad rejected the assertions “with the contempt they deserve.”
The statement came amid renewed exchanges between the two countries over the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.
Pakistan reiterated its position that India remains in “illegal occupation” of the internationally recognised disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that the decades-old dispute remains the longest unresolved issue on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
“The only just and durable settlement of the dispute lies in the faithful implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which guarantee the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices,” the Foreign Office said.
Islamabad also accused India of committing “grave and systematic human rights violations” in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), alleging that Indian forces continue to enjoy impunity under what it termed draconian laws imposed in the region.
The Foreign Office said India’s claims regarding Gilgit-Baltistan could not divert international attention from the situation in IIOJK and accused New Delhi of pursuing policies that undermine the rights of Kashmiris.
Pakistan further called on India to reverse what it described as illegal and unilateral actions taken in the disputed territory, particularly since August 5, 2019, repeal restrictive laws, and allow access to international human rights organisations, neutral observers and foreign media.
The statement also urged India to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.