NEW DELHI – India today summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner SyedHaider Shah over Islamabad’s so-called Gilgit-Baltistan order, and told himthat any action to alter the status of any part of the territory under hiscountry’s forcible occupation has no legal basis.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said it conveyed to Shahthat the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which also includes theso-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ areas, is an integral part of India by virtueof its accession in 1947.
Through its order on Gilgit-Baltistan on May 21, Pakistan Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi has seized more authority from the local council todeal with the affairs of the region
“Any action to alter the status of any part of the territory under forcibleand illegal occupation of Pakistan has no legal basis whatsoever, and iscompletely unacceptable. Instead of seeking to alter the status of theoccupied territories, Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas underits illegal occupation,” the MEA said.
The ministry said it was also conveyed to the Pakistani deputy envoy thatsuch actions can neither hide the illegal occupation of part of Jammu andKashmir by Pakistan nor the grave human rights violations, exploitation anddenial of freedom to the people residing in Pakistan-occupied territories.