MEA issues demarche to Islamabad against SC order allowing general elections in Gilgit, Baltistan
United News of India
New Delhi, May 4: Conveying its strong protest to Islamabad against an order by Pakistan’s Supreme Court allowing the conduct of general elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, India on Monday asked the former to vacate the “occupied territories.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a demarche to Islamabad protesting the Pakistan Supreme Court’s order.
In an order, the Pakistan Supreme Court allowed the amendment to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order of 2018 to conduct the general elections in the region. ‘It was clearly conveyed that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, are an integral part of India by virtue of its fully legal and irrevocable accession. The Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it,’ the MEA said in a statement.
India completely rejects such actions and continued attempts to bring material changes in Pakistan occupied areas of the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir, it added.
The Ministry also asked Pakistan to vacate all areas under its illegal occupation immediately.
The MEA said such actions can neither hide the “illegal occupation” of parts of Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh by Pakistan nor the grave human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom to the people residing in Pakistan occupied territories for the past seven decades.
India’s position in the matter is reflected in the resolution passed by Parliament in 1994 by consensus, it added.
