India dismisses 'elections in PoK', asks Pakistan to vacate all Indian areas

New Delhi: India on Thursday, July 29, urged Pakistan to "vacate all Indian areas" under its illegal occupation and maintained that the so-called elections in Indian territory (PoK areas) were by Pakistan only attempts to "camouflage its illegal occupation".

"Such an exercise (so called elections in PoK) can neither hide the illegal occupation by Pakistan nor the grave human rights violations, exploitation, and denial of freedom to people in these occupied territories. Pakistan has no locus standi on these Indian territories. We call upon Pakistan to vacate all Indian areas under its illegal occupation," MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi told reporters at a virtual media briefing.

"The so-called elections in Indian territory under the illegal occupation of Pakistan are nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and the material changes undertaken by it in these territories," he said.
 
"India has lodged a strong protest with the Pakistani authorities on this cosmetic exercise, which has been protested and rejected by the local people," he said.

In reference to China-Pakistan Joint Press Release, the MEA spokesman said,
"As in the past, India categorically rejects any reference to Jammu and Kashmir.  The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh has been and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. 

The Joint Press release has also made a reference to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). We have consistently conveyed to both China and 
Pakistan that the so-called CPEC is in India’s territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan".

Bagchi went onto say, "....We resolutely oppose any attempts by other countries to change the status quo in areas illegally occupied by Pakistan as also to Pakistan bringing up any material change in Indian territories under its illegal occupation. We call upon parties concerned to cease such actions".

The Joint statement after meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at Chengdu in China had said: "The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir.....The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue was a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the United Nations Charter".
 
On Afghanistan issue, MEA spokesman Bagchi said, "Gains over the last two decades should be preserved".

He also stated: "As you now, we are closely monitoring developments in Afghanistan. You would have heard External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar speak at length on our perspective about the situation in Afghanistan during his press conference (with US Secy of State Antony Blinken)." 

"I would like to reiterate that India, and the world, wishes to see an independent, sovereign, democratic and stable Afghanistan, at peace with itself and neighbours. Unilateral imposition of will by any party will not be democratic, cannot lead to stability, and cannot provide legitimacy". 

ends