New Delhi, July 15: India has strongly rejected Pakistan’s reported move to grant provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, reiterating that the region, along with the rest of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), remains an integral and inalienable part of India.
Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on the issue remains unchanged and firmly established.
India Reiterates Sovereignty
The MEA stated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit-Baltistan, are an integral part of India by virtue of the country’s constitutional and legal framework.
India maintained that Pakistan has no legal authority to alter the status of territories that it occupies illegally.
Pakistan Urged to Vacate Occupied Territories
The MEA also called upon Pakistan to vacate all territories under its illegal and forcible occupation, reiterating India’s long-standing position on the matter.
According to the spokesperson, any administrative or constitutional changes undertaken by Pakistan in these territories have no legal validity and cannot alter the ground reality regarding India’s sovereignty over the region.
India’s Position Remains Unchanged
New Delhi emphasized that its stance on Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), including Gilgit-Baltistan, has remained consistent over the years.
India has repeatedly stated that unilateral measures by Pakistan cannot change the status of the territory, which it considers an integral part of the country.
Background
Reports have suggested that Pakistan is considering granting provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan. India has consistently opposed such proposals, arguing that they violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The latest response from the MEA reaffirms New Delhi’s established position that all of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit-Baltistan, are integral parts of India, and that Pakistan has no legal right to alter the status of these territories.