Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan’s status to that of a full-fledged province, a Pakistani media report on Thursday quoted a senior minister as saying.
India has clearly conveyed to Pakistan that the entire union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, are an integral part of the country by virtue of its fully legal and irrevocable accession.
According to a report in the Express Tribune, Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, Ali Amin Gandapur, on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would soon visit the region and make the formal announcement to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan to the status of a full-fledged province with all constitutional rights.
Gandapur said Gilgit-Baltistan would be given adequate representation on all constitutional bodies, including the National Assembly and the Senate.
After consultation with all stakeholders, the federal government has decided in principle to give constitutional rights to Gilgit-Baltistan, the minister told reporters.
India has said the Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it.
India completely rejects such actions and continued attempts to bring material changes in Pakistan occupied areas of the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation, the Ministry of External Affairs said in May while protesting Islamabad’s efforts to bring material change in Pakistan occupied territories.
Gandapur also said that work on the Moqpondass Special Economic Zone would begin under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan’s Balochistan with China’s Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Beijing’s ambitious multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The CPEC is a collection of infrastructure and other projects under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013. Originally valued at USD 46 billion, the projects were worth over USD 60 billion as of 2017.
India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Also read:Mocking Pakistan army can land you in jail for 2 yrs. What about Imran Khan’s old speeches?
A good news imo. In my view India’s stand on PoK has always been that if using it as a leverage to counter paxtan’s claim on J&K. It was an unfunny game being played by both sides where politicians were not allowed to come together and settle a negotiation deal. Ofc paktan’s claim on Ladakh and Jammu at least are beyond ridiculous, even if a deal was negotiated between the two governments, paxtan’s civil govt isn’t always the one in power. The military can overtake any moment to simply protest any change and could start vying for Jammu as well. India’s revocation of 370 was a good move. It allowed paxtani politicians to shout about Kashmir but now they can integrate PoK officially since they have the excuse that nothing could ever be done about it.
It is now or never moment. Attack PoK and recover PoK and GB. This ought to have been done soon after 1948 war, or at least in 1965 or 1971. Successive Indian governments neglected. Now, Pakistan is appropriating an occupied territory as its province. India’s protests will be useless.
#Gururaj. Shooting Kids in Kashmir and attacking Pak are two different things. Please give yourself some space in your intellect and think: Can we really attack Pakistan?
Mr. Shekar gupta should do a “cut the clutter” episode on this development. Its almost the equivalent of india’s revocation of 35A and special status of kashmir.
This was bound to happen! 🙁 Turns out PM Modi really is a trend setter. China, Nepal, now Pakistan!! What is this?
That part signed IOE with Pakistan. Citizens there also want to be province unlike Jammu and Kashmir where you see protests.