Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan has strongly dismissed India's remarks concerning the forthcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, describing them as unfounded and an attempt to misrepresent facts.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Foreign Office said New Delhi's comments regarding Gilgit-Baltistan were aimed at deflecting international attention from the worsening human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
It maintained that India’s accusations lacked credibility and were part of a recurring pattern of misinformation and politically motivated propaganda.
The Foreign Office stated that India’s latest assertions reflected a continued effort to distort the reality of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains an unresolved issue before the United Nations Security Council.
It reiterated that the conflict stems from India's occupation of the disputed territory in 1947 and continues to await a resolution in line with international commitments.
According to the statement, a lasting and equitable settlement of the Kashmir dispute can only be achieved through the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
These resolutions, it said, provide for the right of the Kashmiri people to determine their future through a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under UN supervision.
The Foreign Office further criticized the legal framework operating in IIOJK, arguing that extraordinary powers granted to Indian security forces have contributed to widespread allegations of rights abuses and repression.
It said the continued immunity enjoyed by security personnel under such laws has intensified concerns about the treatment of civilians in the territory.
Pakistan urged India to reverse all unilateral measures introduced in IIOJK, particularly those implemented after August 5, 2019, and to repeal laws that restrict fundamental freedoms.
It also called on New Delhi to allow unrestricted access to international human rights organizations, independent observers, humanitarian agencies, and foreign media so that conditions in the region can be independently assessed.
Reaffirming its longstanding position, Pakistan said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be given the opportunity to exercise their internationally recognized right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.