Islamabad: Pakistan has firmly dismissed India’s comments regarding the forthcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, describing them as baseless. The Pakistani Foreign Office has stated that India’s assertions aim to deflect attention from ongoing human rights issues in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Foreign Office accused India of spreading false narratives and propaganda, labeling India’s claims as part of a coordinated effort to merge fact with fiction. The statement described the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as the longest unresolved issue on the United Nations Security Council’s agenda, originating from India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.

The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan’s stance that a fair resolution of the dispute requires implementing relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which advocate for a plebiscite under UN supervision to determine the will of the Kashmiri people. The statement also highlighted the impunity allegedly enjoyed by Indian forces under laws in place in Jammu and Kashmir, framing it as a form of state terrorism against Kashmiris.

Pakistan urged India to withdraw from occupied territories, reverse actions in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019, repeal restrictive laws, and permit access to international observers and media to assess the situation. The Foreign Office emphasized that India should allow Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination as per the UN resolutions.