Provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan intended to camouflage illegal occupation by Pakistan, says MEA
FirstpostMEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said Islamabad has no locus standi on territories “illegally and forcibly” occupied by it and and asked the neighbouring country to immediately vacate such areas New Delhi: India on Sunday slammed Pakistan for its attempt to accord provincial status to the “so-called Gilgit-Baltistan, saying it is intended to camouflage the “illegal” occupation of the region by Islamabad. Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said India “firmly rejects” the attempt by Pakistan to bring material changes to a part of Indian territory which is under Islamabad’s “illegal and forcible occupation” and asked the neighbouring country to immediately vacate such areas. “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,” Srivastava said. “Instead of seeking to alter the status of these Indian territories, we call upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation,” he said.