MEA rejects Pak-organised polls in PoK

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday dismissed the legislative assembly elections being held in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), calling the exercise a “cosmetic” attempt by Islamabad to legitimise its “illegal occupation” of the region. Responding to reports on the polls, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the entire Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including areas currently under Pakistan’s control, are an integral part of India.“We have seen reports regarding the so-called legislative assembly elections being conducted in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir… The entire union territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas currently under illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan, are integral parts of India,” he said.“The current cosmetic electoral exercise is nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its grave human rights violations in the region. The ongoing mass protest in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is the direct consequence of its economic exploitation, its denial of fundamental rights to the people and its administrative oppression,” he added.PoK has been gripped by sustained protests for nearly two months, with demonstrators accusing the Pakistani authorities of political repression, economic exploitation and denying basic rights. The unrest has now begun to overshadow the region’s legislative assembly elections, prompting the postponement of polling in two constituencies and drawing criticism from international rights groups. The latest escalation came on Monday when thousands of protesters marched towards Muzaffarabad after talks between the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and the authorities collapsed, marking the 52nd day of the agitation.The protest movement is being spearheaded by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which says it is fighting for greater political freedoms, economic relief and an end to what it describes as administrative oppression by Pakistani authorities.