India on Tuesday rejected what it described as a “farcical resolution” passed by Pakistan’s Parliament opposing the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir and said Pakistan has no locus standi to interfere in the country’s internal matters.
The resolution, which was presented in Pakistan’s National Assembly by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari last week, had called on India to immediately halt and reverse what it said were “unilateral and illegal actions” in Jammu and Kashmir and to fulfil its obligations under UN resolutions.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi responding to this said, “We categorically reject the farcical resolution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on the subject of the delimitation exercise in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in matters that are internal to India, including the Indian territories under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation," Bagchi added.
The whole of the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “has been, is and shall always remain an integral part of India”, the MEA spokesperson said.
“It is regrettable that instead of putting their own house in order, the leadership in Pakistan continues to interfere in India’s internal affairs and engage in baseless and provocative anti-India propaganda,” Bagchi said.
Bagchi asked Pakistan to refrain from effecting any further material changes in the status of Pakistan occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (PoJKL) and vacate the Indian territories that are under its "illegal and forcible occupation".
