Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava on Thursday criticized the attempts by Pakistan to change the status of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory, which is part of the disputed Kashmir region, as completely illegal
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava on Thursday criticized the attempts by Pakistan to change the status of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory, which is part of the disputed Kashmir region, as completely illegal.
Last week, Islamabad decided to give the autonomous region, which borders India's Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh regions, the status of a Pakistani province. It also plans to hold elections there on November 15. New Delhi considers Gilgit-Baltistan to be a part of its Jammu and Kashmir area.
"We have seen statements by the Pakistani leadership and media reports in this regard. Any action by Pakistan to alter the status of the militarily occupied so-called 'Gilgit-Baltistan' has no legal basis whatsoever and is totally void ab initio. Our position has always been clear and consistent. The entire territories of the UTs [Union Territories] of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and are an integral part of India and would remain so. Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on India's internal matters," Srivastava said.
Last year, the Indian government announced its decision to strip the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir region of its special status and split it into two union territories, provoking a sharp reaction from neighboring Pakistan, which claimed New Delhi was mistreating the region's Muslim population.
