Pak rejects new maps of India that shows J&K region as its part

Islamabad, Nov 04: Pakistan in a statement issued by their Foreign Office on Sunday rejected the political maps of India that showed the Jammu and Kashmir region as its part, calling them "incorrect and legally untenable".

The Government of India on Saturday released fresh maps of newly created Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh and the map of India depicting these UTs.

In the maps, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is also seen as a part of the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while Gilgit-Baltistan is in the UT of Ladakh. The new map now shows areas under Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) inside Ladakh, and not in Jammu and Kashmir.

The move came after India on August 5, announced abrogation of the special status given to J&K under Article 370 of the Constitution. With effect from October 31, J&K will be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, as a bill in this regard was passed by Parliament and given Presidential assent.

However, on Sunday Pakistan Foreign Office in their statement said, "(The political maps) displaying Jammu and Kashmir region and seeking to depict parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir within the territorial jurisdiction of India, are incorrect, legally untenable, void and in complete violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions".

"Pakistan rejects these political maps, which are incompatible with the United Nations' maps," the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan said that no step by India can change the "disputed" status of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been "recognised by the United Nations".

In October, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing "extreme concern" over human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir asked the Indian authorities to "fully restore" human rights in the occupied territory.

The lockdown in the Valley has been in place for more than 90 days.