Strong India protest over Gilgit order to Pak envoy

New Delhi: The external affairs ministry on Sunday summoned Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shah to register a strong protest against the Pakistan government for issuing a so-called “Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018”. Pakistan was clearly told “the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which also includes the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ areas, is an integral part of India by virtue of its accession in 1947”, and that “any action to alter the status of any part of the territory under forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan has no legal basis whatsoever, and is completely unacceptable”. Pakistan was also asked to “immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation”.

Reports from Islamabad indicated that through its order on Gilgit-Baltistan on May 21, Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has seized more authority from the local council to deal with the region’s affairs. Civil rights groups in Pakistan have criticised the order, and Pakistani media reports said that protests were taking place in the region. Observers feel New Delhi is paying back Islamabad in its own coin, with Pakistan leaving no stone unturned lately to issue provocative statements over developments in J&K.

In a statement, the MEA said: “The deputy high commissioner of Pakistan to India was summoned today and a strong protest was made against the Government of Pakistan’s so-called “Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018”. It was clearly conveyed that the entire state of J&K, which also includes the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ areas, is an integral part of India by virtue of its accession in 1947. Any action to alter the status of any part of the territory under forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan has no legal basis whatsoever, and is completely unacceptable. Instead of seeking to alter the status of the occupied territories, Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation.”

The MEA added: “The government of India’s consistent position in the matter is reflected in the resolution passed by Parliament in 1994 by consensus.”