India has come down hard on Pakistan after Imran Khan's government announced Gilgit-Baltistan to be given a provisional-provincial status
While speaking to the media, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “The Government of India firmly rejects the attempt by Pakistan to bring material changes to a part of Indian territory, under its illegal and forcible occupation. I reiterate that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the area of so-called “Gilgit-Baltistan”, are an integral part of India by virtue of the legal, complete and irrevocable accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union of India in 1947. The Government of Pakistan has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it".
"Such attempts by Pakistan, intended to camouflage its illegal occupation, cannot hide the grave human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom for over seven decades to the people residing in these Pakistan occupied territories. Instead of seeking to alter the status of these Indian territories, we call upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation,” added Srivastava.
Despite the ongoing protests against the Pakistan government over its decision to change the status of Gilgit-Baltistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, November 1 announced the granting of provisional-provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Massive protests have been taking place against the Imran Khan-led government over the issue of Gilgit Baltistan. This announcement is likely to spark massive outrage as it will have much wider implications which will set the tone for exacerbating tensions, that is already being played out in the east along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China border.
On October 8, in Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), a massive protest was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and Student Liberation Front against the government's decision to make Gilgit-Baltistan a province.
Political activists said that they will sacrifice themselves but will not let Pakistan alter the status of the region.
(With agency inputs)
